Sleepless Nights and Cat-Napped Days
by cielthestarry
Summary: Adrien hurts himself. When Plagg has enough of it and forces him to tell someone, he ends up telling Ladybug. In which Ladybug and Chat Noir get each other's civilian cellphone numbers, and long text-filled nights ensue. T for self harm. Ends up being lots of Marichat in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Adrien was feeling very exhausted and very guilty.

He was fresh and clean from the shower, but he did something in there that he regretted almost as soon as it was over.

He had hurt himself, again. Scraped a razor across the top of his thighs, high enough that his boxers would hide all the evidence, and no one ever saw him in less. He might be a model, but he was a little too young to do anything more revealing than a swimsuit.

Today had been pure hell. Kept from school because of a modeling appointment, getting scolded at by not only his father but also Nathalie, and not even being able to talk to Nino about it in the evening because he was with Alya. He didn't want to hate Alya, in fact he liked her a lot, but he was jealous. He wanted to grab the attention of his best friend. He needed it. He was so broken, and Nino was a bit of glue that helped…

But without that, he fell apart and resorted to the old habit. The new cuts were scattered amongst the scars and still-healing blemishes, quick and uncontrolled. There were too many, he didn't even try to count. He just put on black pajama pants so the blood wouldn't show if it seeped through, and made his way out of the bathroom and into his room.

Plagg was sitting on the edge of his bed, for once looking very serious.

"Kid, I don't like this." The kwami said, startling Adrien. He couldn't be talking about the cuts, could he? He thought he had hidden them from even the little cat.

"Did you get some bad cheese? Though in my opinion, based on the smell, all of it's bad." Adrien tried to joke, to make light of the situation, because he didn't want to deal with anything heavy right now. He didn't want to deal with anything. He wanted to go to his bed and lay down, do nothing but lay and not think, and maybe sleep. It was late enough to sleep, wasn't it? He didn't care. He wanted everything to stop for a while, and that was the perfect way.

"No. You know." Plagg said. "I ignored it for a while, after I realized what you were doing. I have better eyes than humans, you know, and I know blood when I see it." He floated over near Adrien. "But you haven't stopped. It's gotten worse. You need some help."

Adrien just blinked. He didn't grace the other with a response, instead ignoring him and laying down. He had been doing this for a long while, since before him and Plagg ever met. He knew that the little god knew that something was up, but he was hoping that Plagg would be oblivious, not know and just not say anything about it.

"Don't ignore me, Adrien. You know I'm right."

In response, Adrien hid his head under the covers.

"Fine, don't talk to me. But you have to tell someone."

"No one cares." Adrien whispered from his place under the covers. He doubted that the kwami even understood what he was saying, but he didn't care. It was the truth, and it hurt to say it.

"That's not true." Plagg said, getting a little angry. "I care. Nino cares. Ladybug cares."

"And what am I supposed to do? You don't know how to help, Nino would just judge me and not understand, probably abandon me, and Ladybug would probably hate me. They would turn on me because of my habit. No one needs to know."

"Tell someone."

"No."

"Fine, I will."

"NO!" Adrien almost yelled, but caught himself. He was still a little loud though. Wouldn't want to wake his parents.

"Adrien, this is serious."

"It's not that bad. I'm not suicidal, I never do it to harm more than bringing blood to the surface. They're not that deep. I'm safe."

"Harming yourself isn't safe, kitten…" Plagg said, sympathy in his tone.

"Who would I even tell? I- " But Adrien was cut off.

"You tell Ladybug."

Adrien scoffed. "I told you, she'd hate me."

"Trust me, I know her and her kwami better than you. She wouldn't hate you. She would find a way to help you."

"I have bad luck though, so knowing that, she'll turn on me."

"You tell Ladybug or I will. You have until the end of your next patrol. If you don't tell her, I'll find her after we de-transform and let her know. Either way, she'll be knowing."

"Why would you do this to me?"

"Because I care."

 _Do you?_ Adrien thought, but didn't say out loud. He was tired. He shut his eyes and forced himself to sleep.

He woke up the next day very tired still. He didn't sleep well at all, and it took all of him to get up and get dressed for school. That took longer than it should have due to his wounds needed to be cleaned, but it he still managed to make it on time. He ate a very light breakfast – as always – and headed out to the car with the Gorilla, and sat quietly in the back.

Plagg poked his head out of the bag, a look in his eyes that Adrien knew was meant to be a reminder. It would happen tonight, whether by Adrien's mouth or Plagg's. Tonight was patrol night, and he was worried about it.

When he got out of the car at school he tried his best to smile to the fullest, but he couldn't. It just didn't reach his eyes, and he was scared someone would notice. If Nino did he didn't say anything, and Alya just smiled and waved at him like she always did, with a Marinette with an odd smile and mechanically waving as well.

That girl mystified him. She seemed so kind, but she never talked to him. She was friendly enough with everyone else in the class, but to him she acted strangely. Maybe it was the fact that he was a famous model? And she was a designer, maybe she idolized his father and didn't know how to act towards him? He wasn't sure, but he knew that the chances of getting close to her were slim. She didn't seem to be too keen on staying close to him at any time.

He took his seat in the front, and when class started, he couldn't focus at all. He drew lines on his paper, doodled circles and swirls, but didn't actually take any notes. He just couldn't pay attention. He'd have to get the notes from someone later.

All too soon it was lunchtime. The day was half over, and it was closer and closer to the time that he would be on patrol with the love of his life. Normally he was excited on patrol days, counting down the dragging minutes as it got closer to the time to see his Ladybug, but today the clock was moving too quickly. He wasn't excited. He was scared.

He ate a quiet lunch with Nino. He was quiet, at least. Nino gushed about his night with Alya, how they went to see a movie and how the dinner afterwards was perfect for a three month anniversary. Adrien nodded and tried to be a good friend. Nino didn't notice anything was off, which Adrien was relieved about. He was a little too busy remembering his good times. Normally he would be a little frustrated about that – he needed attention, after all, the dirty attention seeker that he was – but today he was glad. Today he didn't want anyone to realize that something was wrong.

The second half of class passed too quickly again. On his way home he closed his eyes, finding a happy place with Ladybug still oblivious and absent of the pressure that Plagg was putting on him. He was home all too quickly. Chinese lessons passed way too quickly. A lonesome dinner passed way too quickly.

He stared at his clock. It was nine on the dot, the time when he was supposed to meet up with his partner before they split up to search the city for any signs of akumas. He was still in his room, not transformed. He was delaying the inevitable, he knew. He just… didn't want to do this. He wanted to stay home and hide.

But Plagg wouldn't let him.

After a few minutes of nonstop pestering, Adrien transformed and headed towards their meeting point. Ladybug came into view, and she smiled upon his arrival, like normal. Everything seemed normal. To her, it was. But it wouldn't be for long. She would hate him. She would abandon him, like his mom did.

"You're late, kitty cat." She accused, using his pet name that she had given him. Normally he loved it, but today, like everything else, it made him uneasy.

He couldn't patrol. And he couldn't let Plagg tell her. He had to tell her.

He didn't want to.

He _really_ didn't want to.

"Ladybug…" He trailed off.

Her smile dropped. She realized something was wrong. What did he do? Did he brush it off, pretend it was nothing, and lock Plagg up back at the house? Or did he sit and tell her? She didn't respond, however worried her face looked. She waited for him.

"I have something to tell you, that I really don't want to tell you."

She stayed silent, but nodded.

This was it, the last moment before she'd hate him forever. The last moment that she would look at him with care in her eyes. The last moment that he could spend with his bug.

"I've been doing something… something bad." He said, looking away. He couldn't bear to see her face.

"Chaton, what's going on? What have you been doing?"

He fidgeted with his gloves. "I've been hurting myself."

She didn't say anything. He couldn't look at her.

It was silent.

That was it. He ruined everything. He turned to run when a pair of arms wrapped their arms around him.

"Oh Chat, I'm so sorry." Ladybug said. Why would she say that?

"Why?" He said, voicing his concern.

"Because I'm your partner, and I didn't even realize anything was wrong."

"I didn't want you to find out. I didn't want anyone to find out. The only person who knew was Plagg. He told me to tell you."

"I'm glad he did."

There was nothing but their breathing and the background noise of the city for a few moments.

"Chaton? Look at me?" It was a question, not an order. He didn't have to. He could keep looking anywhere else.

But he didn't.

"Tell me when you feel like doing that." That time it was a demand.

He scoffed. "I can't contact you outside the suit, milady." He joked, his relief that she didn't hate him starting to set in.

She grabbed his baton, hit a few buttons, then handed it back. "My civilian number is in there. You have my permission to text me anytime." She smiled.

She could still smile at him? He thought he was dreaming.

"What about our identities? You don't want us to find out who we are…" He trailed off.

"I'm not giving you my name or anything. Just a number. But your safety is more important."

His heart swelled. She was going out of her way to help him. Making herself uncomfortable just to make sure that he was. He hugged her, hard. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."

"You're important, Chat. Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you're not."

He didn't mention that he only felt like an important tool, not an important person. There was a very distinct difference, but he didn't want to mention it to the girl who finally made him feel something positive for the first time in a while. He just nodded. "I'll try." Because that's all he could promise, and even that would take most of his effort.

Trying was hard.

"Let's skip patrol tonight. I'm scared to leave you alone." Ladybug said, finally letting him go.

He was scared that if he spoke he would start crying, so he simply nodded again.

Ladybug sat down directly where she was, and Chat followed suit, curling in on himself. They chatted about harmless things the rest of the evening, from their favorite and least favorite fights, to some of their favorite jokes (which Chat enjoyed a bit too much, but Ladybug only smiled and kept on talking) when Ladybug asked him about his favorite food.

"These cookies." He said automatically. "My classmate brings them in from time to time, from her family's bakery. They're chocolate chip-y and perfect." He beamed. "My father doesn't let me eat sweets much, so they're a nice break from the norm." His face fell a little, and the look on Ladybug's face made him a little upset. "Did I go too far?" He was confused.

"You're a student?" She asked, her face lightening up a little bit, but still not to how it was before.

"Yeah, I thought you could have guessed. I'm not very mature-looking." He looked down at himself. He was tiny and frail-looking, though the whole of Paris knew that in his suit he could kick quite the ass.

"Oh. I hadn't noticed." She said, though she looked distracted.

"I'll bring you a cookie next time Marinette brings them in." He said, looking off into the distance. He realized the mistake he made when Ladybug didn't say anything. "….that was too much." He said, putting his face in his hands. "I always screw up." He sighed.

"No no, Chaton, please." She put his hand on his shoulder. "The name just sounds familiar. I was wondering if we knew each other outside the masks."

"I don't know." He said, because he didn't. What else could he say?

She just shrugged. "Let's not worry about it. But it's getting late, we probably need to go home."

His demeanor fell even more, if that was even possible at this point. He didn't want to go home to that empty house, where he would be tempted to do the thing that he just promised he would try not to do anymore.

"You can text me, remember?" She said with a small smile.

"…yeah" He said after a minute. He didn't know how, but he had forgotten that fact completely. He should be ecstatic, not forgetting information like that.

She pulled out her yoyo and attached it to a building. "Talk to you in a few, Chat Noir!" She then jumped, and was flying off into the distance.

He didn't want to go home, so he didn't. He quickly memorized the number that Ladybug typed into his staff, and kept repeating it so there was no chance of him forgetting. He de-transformed, then typed it into his phone.

 _[Hey, it's me, milady.]_

He hesitated over the send button for a minute, but then clicked it and hoped for the best.

 **[Hey Chaton :)]**

He smiled.

 _[Miss me yet? ;)]_

 **[It's been like five minutes.]**

 _[That's five minutes without this purr-fect feline in your life.]_

 **[Ha ha. I'm glad you're feeling better.]**

 _[Yeah. Thanks to you, my ladybug.]_

It took her a few minutes to reply, but he didn't mind. Adrien simply stared off into the horizon, smiling at the feeling of being free at his favorite place.

 **[I'm here for you Chaton. Always.]**

A tear almost escaped. This was Ladybug, the girl who made his heart flutter from the first minute that she had fell into his life. And she cared for him, cared enough to do what she was doing. He didn't know what he did to get so lucky, especially when black cats weren't known for their luck.

* * *

A/N: Hi guys! This is my first Miraculous Ladybug fanfic! I've only seen the English version, but the French name for Chat just gets me every time. It's just something I love. So let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks so much!

Also this is unbeta'd and a little rough, I hope you guys don't mind;;;; sorry loves


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette hadn't slept very long that night. What sleep she did get, however, was wonderful, because she was so dead tired. She had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking to Chat, too scared to leave him alone.

She knew he was strong, but everyone is vulnerable at times. That was just some of his. He was her partner. They belonged together, in a simply platonic sense. She couldn't stand the thought of him hurting himself, much less her losing him.

She also stayed up that night researching different ways to help. They didn't seem very helpful, but she didn't know. She had never been in that position before, never felt the need to hurt herself. But she took notes anyway, finding alternatives to hurting yourself and different things that people do to distract themself. Maybe they would help Chat Noir. She couldn't be sure, because she didn't know him outside the mask, but she didn't think that he'd be that different. She wasn't too different from Ladybug herself, minus a confidence boost.

To say the least, she was having a hard time staying awake in class. She was trying to take notes, but it was failing, and instead was doodling all over her tablet. She wasn't paying attention at first, but when she noticed the shapes take form, her screen was full of Chat Noir. His flirtatious grins, and his cocky attitude. What looked best on him. Not the broken little kitty she had seen the night before.

The bell rang, and before she could cut her screen off, Alya took the tablet.

"Wow girl, you got the hots for Chat Noir or something?" Alya was speaking way too loudly, as always. Nino and Adrien – of all people, _Adrien_ – turned around with questioning glances.

"N-No! Of course not!" Marinette stammered. But how was she supposed to tell them that she was worried about him? No one else but Ladybug had seen him so exposed the night before. "I-I just.. I just like his costume!" It was a really bad lie, but she was trying.

"So you draw him smiling and smirking instead of just his clothes?"

"Who can blame her, he does have a nice smile." Adrien said, winking at her.

She almost died. "W-w-w-well you k-know that I'm a d-designer I-I just w-wanted his o-outfit drawn"

"Dude, did you just. Whatever." Nino said, confused at Adrien's comment.

Alya just laughed at Marinette, seemingly not caring enough to have caught on herself.

"Give it back!" She snatched the tablet away from her best friend and tucked it into her bag.

"Aww, I wanted to see the doodles of Chat." Adrien pouted.

Marinette always knew that Adrien adored Ladybug, but he didn't know that he cared about the black cat at all. It was another bit of information to store down in her mind for later. She always wanted to learn whatever she could about the model.

"M-m-m-maybe later." She managed to get out, with a stupid grin across her face. She looked over to her best friend, who gave her a thumbs up. She managed to do something, at least. That's good.

Adrien and Nino told them where they were going to eat for lunch and then left. She could tell that Alya kind of wanted to join them, but stayed where she was for Marinette's sake. If she wasn't so in love with Adrien, she would totally kiss her.

They ended up going back to Marinette's house, and as soon as they got their good and were sitting down at her table, Marinette's phone buzzed.

It was a text from Chat. She had put his number in her phone as a black cat emoji. Simple and innocent enough. She tried to discreetly hide it from her best friend, and thankfully the other girl seemed too intent on her phone to pay too much attention to it.

 _[I don't want to just talk to you when I'm upset, my ladybug.]_

She stared at the text for a long while, considering how to answer. What was she going to say? No, I don't want to talk to you unless you're going to hurt yourself?

Because honestly she was scared. She didn't want to know Chat's identity and she didn't want him to know hers either. He would be so disappointed to find out that the girl that he spent so much time and effort into loving was just a plain old girl without even the courage to talk to the one she liked without stuttering like a fool. And that was another thing as well. She didn't like Chat. Not _like like_ anyway. She loved him as a partner, as her other half in preventing crime. But not in the way that he loved her, or at least the way that he loved the person in the mask. What if he took it the wrong way?

But didn't he need someone? If she was the only person that he had told, he must be very lonely. He might need someone there, someone to be a friend. She could do that, couldn't she? Or would she cross that boundary and mess everything up?

Marinette was brought out of her musings by Alya putting her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You haven't touched your food, and its almost time to go. What's so important on your phone, anyway?" Alya began to grab the device, but Marinette put it back in her pocket before her friend could touch it.

"I'll tell you about it later." She half-heartedly promised, picking up her fork to shovel food in her mouth before afternoon classes started. By the look on her face, however, Marinette could tell that Alya took the promise very, very seriously.

They were right on time for class, Marinette feeling a little more awake from the run back and the food, so she was able to focus more on taking notes instead of doodling her distressed partner. Which, of course, meant that she could pay more attention to her sweet Adrien!

The back of his head was gorgeous, but his notes were lacking. There was barely anything written down, and he wasn't even looking at his notes. He was looking towards the door. Maybe he was spaced out? She couldn't tell from the back.

All too soon classes were over, and her, Alya, Nino, and Adrien walked as a group out to the front. "You were totally spacing all day, dude." Nino said, looking right at Adrien.

"I'm more of a nap-during-the-day type person rather than sleeping at night." He replied, yawning into his hand.

"Marinette here didn't sleep that well either." Alya said, lighting slapping her back.

She nervously giggled. Please don't ask her why, she couldn't explain that she was busy keeping Chat Noir company in fear that he would hurt himself. She couldn't explain the nightmares of Chat Noir ending everything, of her precious partner being gone forever.

"Guess we're cat-napping allies then, huh Marinette?" Adrien said with a smile.

She thought she was going to perish on the spot. He was talking to her! He was really and truly talking to her!

She was pretty sure she had stopped breathing when Alya had to shove her shoulder a little bit for her to reply. "Yeah! Catty allies are we!" She smiled awkwardly, she knew, but she didn't know what else to do. She saw Alya put her face in her hands out of the corner of her eye, but she was too ecstatic to care. He was _talking_ to her!

"Well," Adrien trailed off, giving Marinette a little bit of an odd look, "I don't know about you guys, but I probably need to get a head start on this paper. I'm bad at procrastinating."

"Dude, your grades are so good, it doesn't matter if you procrastinate." Nino said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, Marinette and I were going to work on ours at her house after school today." Alya chipped in. Which was news to Marinette. Not like it mattered, her parents adored Alya and let her come over whenever, bu-

Alya nudged Marinette and gave her shifty eyes towards Adrien and Nino. It clicked what she wanted her to do. "Y-yeah, w-w-would you g-guys like to join us?" She asked, smiling and rubbing the back of her head. She could do this. She could talk around him, too!

Adrien beamed. "Sure! Let me phone my dad and ask." He pulled out his cellphone and started dialing. Which reminded Marinette of her previous dilemma: Chat Noir.

Nino nodded. "Yeah, I'd love to come. Hopefully we can get some of those famous cookies that your parents make." Nino said, also beaming. He loved the cookies that they sold at the bakery, but honestly, who didn't? It was a big part of the reason that their bakery was so well known.

Alya and Nino started chatting, and Marinette took that opportunity to take out her phone and text her little kitty back.

 **[Then don't.]**

Straight and to the point, but it would be understood. This was her giving him permission. Permission to be a part of her life without the mask. That was a reason that it took her so long to reply. Because with this, she would officially be letting Chat Noir into her life – and potentially her heart – a lot more than she had ever planned. He would be an in an out of not only Ladybug, but Marinette, if he began to text her as frequently as she guessed he would. Which would be a lot. She only hoped that it was the right decision, and that Tikki wouldn't get mad at her for making such a big decision on her own. She doubted that the kwami would, but she wasn't sure nonetheless.

She looked up at Adrien, who was still on the phone with his dad. He had a serious expression on his face that finally broke into a smile while the phone was held up to his ear. "Thanks so much Dad!" He said, then said a few words of parting before finally hanging up. He looked through his phone for a minute longer, and what she saw almost killed her.

It was a face of loving admiration, she could tell. It was like when her mom got a text from her dad that was something sweet. It wasn't there long, but she caught it. She had seen it.

Who was it from? Was it from another model? A classmate? _Chloe_? She didn't know and she wasn't sure, but she didn't like it. She wanted that to be for _her._ But it was so deep and so intimate she didn't know what to say.

"So everyone is headed to Marinette's, then?" Alya asked, breaking Marinette out of her trance. Oh God, she was going to be stuck in a room with Adrien for _hours_ , knowing that there was already someone that he loved…! She would have to drag Alya out of the way and explain what had happened, and ask for some advice. She was sure that Alya could help. Her best friend always helped.

They all walked in the bakery entrance so that Marinette could formally ask her parents if everyone could stay over. Just as Marinette expected they didn't mind, and they could even go into Marinette's room if they so pleased. They went up the stairs with a "Everyone, make yourselves right at home!" from her mom and a warm smile from her dad.

Alya made everyone go straight up to Marinette's room, because that was her favorite spot to study, and Marinette was so caught up in her musings that she completely forgot _that she had pictures of Adrien all over her wall and he was the wallpaper on her computer._

Her and Alya exchanged completely mortified expressions, before Adrien just chuckled good-naturedly. "It's nice to know you're a fan of my work, Marinette." He smiled at her.

"Only _Adrien_ would see pictures of himself all over some girl's room and think that it's nice instead of incredibly creepy." Alya whispered to Marinette when Adrien looked away.

Marinette was still a bright shade of scarlet when Nino exclaimed that he was hungry.

Marinette took the chance. "Alya, come with me to get some snacks." She grabbed her friend by the arm before she could protest and started to drag her down the stairs. They got a few strange looks, but that was fine. She didn't mind at all. It wasn't worse than all the pictures she had hanging up there.

"Okay, okay, what do you want?" Alya said in a hushed voice as they got into the kitchen.

"I think Adrien likes someone." She didn't want to say it, didn't want to say that the look he gave his phone earlier was more than like, so she didn't. She explained the situation to Alya and asked for her advice.

"What you gotta do girl, is make him see how amazing you are. If he's not in a committed relationship already, that is." She amended when Marinette gave her a look. "I'll find out for you tonight. And you'll know then, if you need to back off or pursue him harder!" She pumped her fist in the air.

"Yeah!" Marinette agreed a little loudly. She covered her mouth quickly, but then giggled, and Alya joined in.

"Are you two bringing snacks or chatting about something?" Nino stuck his head out from the door in the ceiling leading to Marinette's room.

"Oh shush, as if you and Adrien weren't up there talking." Alya said as she rolled her eyes and flipped her hand up at the boy.

"We're getting snacks. Sorry Nino." Marinette sent a warm smile his way as she looked in the cabinet to grab and plate and started piling snacks onto it. She asked Alya to carry up the carton of oreos – there was no place to put it on her plate without everything that was precariously stacked falling off. She agreed, and whispered words of encouragement into Marinette's ear as she walked back up the stairs.

They sat down and tore into the snacks before their books, but that was alright. As the minutes turned to hours Marinette started to feel calmer around the blonde boy she was obsessed with, but on the back of her mind always sat Chat. Was he okay? Was he having a good night, like she was? Or was he alone and needing her? She had her phone in front of her on loud, and checked it several times, but no texts came through. She just hoped it would be okay. She would text him later, just to make sure.

"So Nino and I are going on a date Friday night. Marinette is busy helping her parents –" she shot Marinette a look that said to go with it "and we were wondering if you and your girlfriend wanted to come with us!" Alya said, looking at Adrien.

Adrien went bright red. "G-girlfriend?" He nervously scratched the back of his head and looked at the floor. "I don't – I don't have a girlfriend." He said, looking down. "I just got the girl I like's number, we're not close enough to be considered dating, so…" Marinette could tell that he stopped himself from blabbing on, just like she did when she was nervous.

Her heart sank a little. What was she going to do? The one who had taken all of her attention was already falling for someone else. Alya shot her a glance, reminding her of what she had to do. She nodded. She wouldn't do anything about it now, so not to make herself obvious, but she would later. She totally would later. She would get the courage she needed to talk to him, and she would make Adrien Agreste see that _she_ was the one to go for, not some other girl.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys, second chapter up pretty quick! I'm not that great at writing long chapters, but hopefully you like Marinette's point of view! If you see anything i need to fix, have any questions, or any suggestions, just let me know! I have a general idea of how i want this fic to flow, but it's not 100 percent planned out yet!


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien was pretty sure that this was the best day of his life. Maybe not the best, but one of them. It had fully sunk in that his Ladybug still cared for him, he got to go over to a classmate's house, said classmate seemed to be getting closer to him, who happened to make his favorite cookies, _and_ Ladybug told him he could text her for whatever reason he wanted to! It didn't just have to be because he was upset!

He was in the middle of laughing about something silly with his friends when his cellphone rang. It was Nathalie, saying that her and Gorilla were in the car, waiting for him outside of the bakery. He told her he would collect his things quickly and be right there.

"Sorry for bailing early," Adrien said as he stuffed his tablet back into his bag, "someone is here to pick me up."

"Really dude? You don't even live that far from here." Nino said, munching on a cookie.

"My dad is really overprotective. I'm surprised he even let me come here today." Adrien admitted. Seeing Nino snack on the cookies reminded him that he promised Ladybug that he would save her one next time Marinette brought some to class. Technically she didn't bring any to _class_ , but he was still going to grab a few for her. If he could. "Marinette, do you mind if I take a few cookies home?" He said, already gathering a few in his hands.

"S-sure Adrien!" She resorted to turning pink and stuttering again. He wouldn't be upset though. They were making progress, and he was already having such a great day! Surely it would stay this way. "I'll get you a bag and walk you out." She got up from where she was sitting, Nino and Alya already moving closer to one another.

"Take your time, girl." Alya winked at her, probably wanting to be alone with Nino. Poor Marinette just turned bright red.

"Haha, we'll leave you two alone." He winked back at them. "C'mon Marinette." He said, starting down her stairs. She heard the soft footsteps of him following her.

He walked over to her kitchen but just stood kind of awkwardly, what with the cookies in his hand and not knowing where anything to put them in was. Marinette quickly opened up a pantry door and found a small baggie for him. "Here." She said, handing it to him. "You can use this."

Adrien smiled at her as she thought better of her previous action and held the bag open for him. He gently poured the cookies from his hands into the bag, then took the bag after Marinette had sealed it for him. "Thanks, Marinette." He smiled. He had so much to smile about, after all!

"Yeah." She nodded. "I'll walk you out to your car." She started towards the door.

He was touched. "You don't have to do that." He shook his head. "It's just downstairs."

"I insist." She smiled, and his heart skipped a little beat.

…wait, what? No, heart, don't do that! Only for his Ladybug!

The walk down to his car was uneventful, and quiet. Nathalie got out of the car and opened the door for him, and Marinette smiled and waved, a little awkwardly. He smiled and waved back. "See you tomorrow at school!" He said, right as Nathalie got in the car and slammed the door shut.

Well that was a little rude. He wasn't very impressed with her actions, but that was okay. He was never really impressed with her. She followed her father's orders to the letter and sometimes bugged the hell out of him. He wouldn't let it get to him, not now that he was having such a fantastic day.

The ride home was short and also uneventful. Very quiet. But he expected that from Nathalie and the Gorilla. They only ever spoke to him if they had to, not for anything else. They didn't care about him, not really. He was just a tool they had to protect for his father. Nothing else. He wasn't important to them. Not in the human sense.

No! None of that nonsense. He wouldn't let his day be ruined by his _thoughts_ , of all things. He could do this. He could stay happy, and he could talk to his Ladybug. He would. He knew he would.

Walking in the door, however, changed his plans.

His father was there, at his signature spot on top of the staircase. What could he possibly be in trouble about? He had asked! If his father wanted him to stay at home, all he had to do was say so.

"Adrien." He said, glaring down at his son.

"Father." Adrien replied, looking at the floor.

"You went out with your friends, despite how much you know I dislike all notions of you having the vile things."

This is what Adrien was talking about. What human wasn't allowed to have friends? None. That's what. He wasn't a human to his father. He was a tool. A fancy tool that wanted too much for his own good, apparently. He was nothing. Nothing to anyone.

His shoulders deflated. He wasn't going to win this, so he wasn't even going to try. Normally he would fight, would try to get his point across. But why bother? He was exhausted from all the good feelings. He was hoping that he could ride them until he went to sleep, but of course he couldn't. This house wasn't a home. It was a prison.

"Get back to your room. You won't be leaving it for some time." Adrien looked up.

"What about school?" He asked, before he could stop himself. Of course his father didn't care about school. The man didn't even want him to go in the first place.

"You'll be staying home the rest of the week. Don't you think you've gotten enough of your friends for a few days?" His father said before turning and walking back up the stairs: a clear dismissal.

Adrien's mood was thoroughly deflated. Everything good that had happened was pushed aside. It shouldn't have been. It was just one small thing, but it was enough to send him over the edge. His father's opinion mattered so much to him, but he wasn't even sure why. He walked back to his room slowly, then fell on the bed.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Plagg said, flying around his head.

"No, Plagg, it won't." Adrien said, burying his head in his pillow.

"Of course it will. C'mon bud, let's text Ladybug. She said you could text her whenever, but this is one of those moments that she meant when she first gave you her number." He sat on Adrien's head, and pushed some of the hair out of his face.

He just shook his head, stood up, then went over to the bathroom. Plagg tried to follow, but Adrien shut the door in his face. Not that it mattered to the kwami, he could just phase through the door. But it did let the being know that the boy wanted some privacy.

"Don't do anything you'll regret in there." Plagg called, but he knew that it was pointless. He'd just have to make Adrien tell Ladybug about his actions when he came back up.

What Plagg didn't know, however, was that Adrien had brought his phone into the bathroom with him. As he turned on the shower – the place where he did his deed – he pulled out his phone and opened up his conversation with Ladybug. _Then don't_ was the last thing she had sent, and he was saddened by the fact that the next message wouldn't be a happy one.

 **[I'm about to do something you wouldn't want me to do.]**

He sat, fully clothed, in the floor, with his cellphone hanging limply in his hand. It buzzed almost immediately after he sent the message.

 _[Chaton.]_

Was that it? He pondered for a second, but in the middle of his musings he got another text.

 _[Please don't do anything. Talk to me instead. Tell me what you're thinking, what you're feeling. Or don't. We can talk about anything. Just don't do that. Talk to me. I'm here for you.]_

He wanted to cry, this was his Ladybug. The person who meant the most to him, showing that she cared. He'd never get over it, never believe that she cared as much as he did, if only in a different way. It was amazing, really, and he loved it. He loved every second of it.

He cut the water off for the shower and went back to his bed.

 **[I had a good day today.]**

He knew not to say much more than that, but he wanted to let her know. He wanted to think about the good things for a little while longer, not the bad. So he would chat a little with her about things that happened.

 _[That's good Chaton. What all made it good?]_

Oh, but it was so hard not to go into detail when she was asking him about it. But he wouldn't because he knew that she didn't want to know, not really. She did want to know what good was happening to Chat Noir, but not Adrien. And he would go into all the details of Adrien, and she might be able to piece together who he was, or so she feared. Especially if they knew each other outside of the mask, like Ladybug had hinted before.

Imagine that! If they knew each other outside of the mask… Then he would always have someone to go to, whether he had to keep up the appearance of Adrien or if he had to be Chat Noir. If only….

 **[You did, milady. You gave me permission to talk to you even when I wasn't sad, even if I haven't had the chance to take you up on that opportunity yet.]**

He smiled at his phone, just remembering. He was in the middle of a phone call when his father when the phone vibrated in his hand. He ignored it until after he hung up, but when he did it was the first thing he checked. The two words made him happy, and he couldn't hide the smile that showed up on his face. It was the best, and he felt his heart swell just from remembering.

 _[I had a good day, too.]_

Hmm? Him and Ladybug both had a good day? He needed to know why, what made her day pleasant. Was it as good as his? Was it because someone she loved sent her the nicest text ever known to man?

 **[What all made it good?]**

He copied her phrasing, needing to know. He waited impatiently, feeling the softness of his very expensive pillows under him.

 _[Well, I got to spend time with friends. And I found out the guy I like isn't in a relationship, so I can try to pursue him.]_

Well that flattened his mood a little. Someone that Ladybug liked? Was she not aware how much he was madly in love with her? Why would he tell her this, unless she really didn't know… Maybe she thought that his flirting was nothing more than friendly banter, which was not the case… He would definitely have to find ways to let her know. That was something that he could do, something that he could focus on. Determination swelled in his chest.

 **[Ironic, milady. I just figured out that the girl I like is available too.]**

He smirked at his phone. Maybe she'd get the hint?

 _[Haha kitty cat, very funny. Your charm doesn't work on me, though ;)]_

He frowned. She definitely didn't. He'd had to be more sincere in his advances, then. He nodded.

"I'm glad, kid." Plagg said, sitting on his shoulder.

"What, that she totally doesn't realize I'm in love with her?" Adrien rolled his eyes.

"No, that you didn't take a shower." The kwami nuzzled into the boy's neck, and Adrien eyes got wide. He had completely forgotten about that, just by talking to his partner. His heart swelled yet again and a smile made its way to his face, despite everything that was going on in the actual conversation. She was helping him, and she probably didn't even realize it. She was helping him a lot.

Damn, he loved her.

 **[One day you'll fall for me, like you did when we first met ;)]**

He was referring to the way that she had bumped into him, tying them up in her yoyo and left them hanging from his staff.

 _[By tripping on a rock and falling face first?]_

 **[Guess the chat's out of the bag.]**

He giggled at his own bad joke, then tucked himself into bed. He would be able to shower in the morning, since he didn't have anywhere to be now…

 _[Your jokes are as bad as the tower is tall.]_

 **[And you're as beautiful as the night sky behind it.]**

 _[Flattery will get you nowhere, kitty cat.]_

 **[Are you sure about that?]**

 _[Besides, you're only enamored with Ladybug. You have no idea about the girl behind the mask.]_

 **[We're still ourselves. Just with a little more confidence to be who we want to be.]**

 _[That's exactly how I see it, Chaton. So my kwami is a bit like you – she really likes chocolate chip cookies.]_

 **[My kwami only likes stinky camembert cheese.]**

 _[Ew, you must stink all the time then.]_

 **[You wound me!]**

 _[What, it's true! Especially if you have to hide it with you like I have to do for Tikki.]_

 **[Plagg is a brute, but he understands my necessity not to be smelly.]**

 _[Aww, so I can't hunt you down by sniffing for camembert?]_

 **[Sadly you cannot, milady. My bag, however, is an entirely different story, though I try to hide the stench as much as I can.]**

 _[At least cookies don't give off a strong scent.]_

 **[Only when they're freshly baked.]**

 _[Oh no! Don't hunt me down with your overly-sensitive nose!]_

 **[You like baking cookies?]**

 _[Even if I didn't, I would for my kwami.]_

 **[I mean, I understand that. I don't like stinky cheese but I keep it around. Plagg means the world to me.]**

 _[Tikki means the world to me, too.]_

 **[You do too, you know.]**

 _[You're my precious partner, Chat Noir. Don't forget that.]_

Adrien was too tired to respond, too happy by the fact that she cared about him. He closed his eyes and drifted into sleep, refusing to think about the next day, lest the bad thoughts enter his dreams. The day wasn't ruined after all. It started off good because of his lady, and finished good as well, all because she was there for him.

He had peaceful dreams of him and his partner jumping around the beautiful city.

* * *

A/N: Aww, Ladybug is there for him. I'm getting these out pretty quickly, even if they are short, only because my obsession has taken quite the turn... I love these two characters, okay?


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette was worried. Did her cookies make Adrien sick? He hadn't been to school in the past two days, and it was already the weekend. It would be another two whole days before she could even hope to see him again.

"His dad probably got mad at him." Nino said, startling Marinette so badly that she yelped. "He doesn't really like Adrien doing anything, so this might be punishment for him asking to come and hang out with us at all."

"Isn't _coming_ to school punishment enough?" Alya said, her hand up in the air.

Nino shook his head. "Not for my man Adrien. He wants to come to school, wants to be around kids his age and get out of his house. Lockdown in his room would be the worst punishment for him, not just the break from school most kids would see it as."

Marinette felt guilt in her stomach. Adrien got in trouble? For coming over to her house? She knew it was irrational, and that really, she had done nothing wrong, but it still made her feel awful. Anger rose in her instead, at his father. How dare he! Adrien just wanted to be normal, just wanted to do homework with friends. Why did his dad have the right to take that away from him? He didn't. No one did.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and Alya took it from her.

"'I got some of those cookies I wanted to share with you. I'll give you some next time we meet. Cat face.' Girl, who you texting so much? Is this the same number as yesterday? And the name in your phone is a cat emoji? Really?" She was stopped from stooping too much when the phone was ripped out of her hand by a flustered Marinette.

"I-i-i-it's a friend! A very nice friend who wants to bring me cookies, apparently!" She stammered, hiding her phone so that Alya wouldn't be able to go through it. It was obvious that the conversation was between Ladybug and Chat Noir, not Marinette and some other boy. Alya would definitely find out, and Marinette couldn't have that.

"I'll figure out who that is one day, girl. Scout's honor." She said, crossing her heart.

"I don't think those two things go together." Nino said, but he was ignored.

"Why can't you just leave it, Alya?" Marinette asked, sounding tired.

"Oh? Miss I'm-so-in-love-with-Adrien-Agreste-I-have-his-pictures-hanging-all-around-my-room is talking to someone else and her best friend doesn't get to find out? Why ever would I want to find out about that?" She asked in a mocking, sing-song voice.

But that was enough to piss Marinette off. She had mentioned her crush around someone else. That someone else being Nino, Adrien's best friend. What's to stop Nino from telling Adrien, and her being completely embarrassed? She hasn't even had time to get close to him, to try to show him how _she_ was better than that other girl. And now it was all going to be ruined, because Alya had a huge mouth.

She didn't grace the other with a response as she turned around and _ran_. She was already fast before Tikki had come into her life, but after she became Ladybug all her muscles were stronger, and she became faster. They had no chance of keeping up with her. Alya called after her, but she completely ignored it.

She ran all the way home, then ignored her parents as she found her way to her room. She'd get hell for ignoring her mom and dad, but that was okay. She needed to be alone right now, not with friends who ruin things before there's even a chance to start. She sighed heavily as she burrowed down into the covers and pillows that were her bed. It was then that she remembered she had left her cat unanswered.

 **[I could use some cookies right now.]**

She replied, not knowing if she wanted to go into details or not.

 _[Did something happen, my ladybug?]_

And there he was, catching her tone through text. She could have just wanted cookies, she could just have a sweet tooth. But no, of course her partner had to know exactly what she meant by her statement. Why did he have to be so attentive and so observant?

 **[My 'friend.' She just. Ugh. I don't know if I want to go into it.]**

It wasn't necessarily that she didn't want to tell him or didn't want to go into details, she just didn't know if he'd want to hear it. It was something personal, something that didn't have to do with saving lives and something that was important and personal to her. It hurt her to her heart, knowing that she didn't have a chance anymore. The stuff that they had talked about before had been light, just things they like about life and their kwamis.

 _[Tell me about it.]_

She smiled. He did care. He wanted to know about her… even their civilian selves, even if she wouldn't tell him who she was. He wanted to know. It made her heart swell.

Oh no. Oh HELL no. She was not getting feelings for a _cat_. She was just… they were just growing closer as partners, that was all. And she would take it. She needed a friend at the moment, since Alya had just betrayed her trust.

 **[Well.. some background. The guy I like has been absent from class for a few days. He came over Wednesday night, but after that no one has seen him. I'm pretty sure he's been talking to his friend though, so he said that his dad might be mad at him for coming over? It makes me mad to think about it. Let your son have a life, you know? But anyway, my friend buts in when you text and is like 'Miss I-have-pictures-of-my-crush-on-the-wall has another person she's talking to, of course I want to know about it.' But she said it in front of his friend! So now he's going to know and I'm not going to get the chance to make him fall for me first, he's just going to think I'm another schoolgirl with a stupid crush, not anything substantial. It just frustrates me.]**

It was long, she knew, taking up many texts. It was probably too much to read, and she regretted sending it. What if it was too much information? What if he found out who she was from that, or worse, who her crush was! She shouldn't have sent it she shouldn't have sent it! Oh no!

"Calm down Marinette, what happens, happens. It's too late to take it back now." She normally wouldn't be this calm, in fact Marinette could see how frustrated the little kwami was, but Tikki was right. That's just what was, she couldn't change it now. Now all she could do was wait for Chat Noir to reply and see what he said.

"Yeah Tikki, you're right. I'm sorry I was so careless." She hung her head.

"It's okay, Marinette. We all make mistakes sometimes." She nuzzled her cheek.

She gulped as she felt her phone vibrate a few times, meaning that he had sent back a lengthy reply as well.

 _[You have a right to be frustrated. That wasn't very cool of your friend. As for your crush, it's not your fault even if he is under house arrest by his father. And I doubt his friend will tell, guys don't generally do that, from my experience at least. You'll be fine, he'll be fine, and everything will turn out fine. But your friend didn't mean to upset you, I'm sure. She probably just wasn't thinking when it slipped out. Talk to her, be sure to let her know you're upset, but that you understand it was a mistake. I think that's the best thing you could do, Ladybug.]_

She sighed in relief. If Chat Noir did know who she was, he wasn't going to make it obvious, which is all she could ask for with her monumental mistake. Hopefully was oblivious still, but because he mentioned her cookies before she was almost certain that he at least knew who Adrien was. All he had to do was ask Adrien to ask Nino who had a crush on him, and bam! The cat was out of the bag! Ugh, she was using Chat's phrases now, to her utter dismay. Well, whatever. Everything was fine for the moment.

She nodded and texted Alya right quick.

 **[Hey, I'm sorry about running away. I'm upset, but I know you didn't mean to let it slip in front of Nino.]**

She then switched back to Chat Noir.

 **[Yeah, I just texted her. Thanks for your advice, kitty cat :)]**

She sighed yet again and put her phone down, snuggling into her bed. She could use a nap…

…

"Girl. Girl, wake up." Was that Alya? She was dreaming, dreaming about her friend who had gotten on her nerves. But why would dream Alya be telling her to wake up?

"Marinette girl you better get your butt down here before I decide to climb up there and wake you up."

Yup, that was Alya, not dream Alya, and Marinette knew better than to ignore her again. She bolted right up, muttered a quick "coming!" before unfolding herself from the covers and climbing down the stairs that led up to her lofted bed. "Whatcha doin' here?" Marinette asked, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

"I got your text, but I just wanted to make sure we were still cool. Plus I told my parents that I'd be staying over here. Your parents already said it was cool if I slept over, but I didn't expect you to be asleep already. Late nights this week?"

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, I've been texting… uh… that boy."

"So it _is_ a boy!" Alya cried out. Marinette couldn't help herself from smiling a little bit. Her friend knew that she wasn't upset with the finding the mysterious texter situation, but with the letting Nino know she had a huge crush on Adrien situation. It was glorious to have a friend like her, where they could go back after being upset like it never happened.

"Yes…" Marinette replied reluctantly, "But it doesn't mean I don't like Adrien!"

"Relax. You can have friends of another gender, you know." Alya rubbed the top of her friend's head. "Just because you talk with them doesn't mean you like them like that."

"Y-yeah!" Damn it! Why did she stutter? "I'm glad you agree."

Alya raised an eyebrow, but didn't sat anything else on the subject. "Your parents have some delicious-looking food down there, and they honestly told me to come get you." She explained. "C'mon, I want to eat."

Marinette nodded. She wanted some food too, since she didn't get her afternoon snack. God she sounded like a kid, but that was okay. She liked her food, okay? "Yeah, let me just grab my phone." She started climbing back up to her bed, where she left her phone on her pillow. A quick look at the screen showed her that Alya had texted her a few times, and Chat Noir twice. She wondered what it could be, but decided to check it later, after dinner.

Dinner was a delicious affair, as expected from two who owned a bakery. The desserts were even better however, being left-overs from the bakery that didn't sell. They were still delicious, and Marinette really couldn't get tired of them, even if she had them like every day. She just… really loved sweets and food, is all. Looking at the cookies, however, reminded her of what Chat Noir had said earlier that day, which reminded her that she needed to check her phone.

 _[Anytime, Ladybug. I'm YOUR kitty after all, me-ow!]_

 _[Hey, can we talk for a bit?]_

"Hey Alya, you don't mind if I'm on my phone for a bit, do you?" Marinette asked as they climbed the stairs back up to her room. She needed to be there for her partner.

"Black cat emoji needs some attention?" Alya asked as she shut the door behind her, and both of them sat in the floor.

Marinette just nodded as she texted out her reply.

 **[Sorry for taking a long time to reply, I fell asleep and then had to eat dinner. Plus my friend ended up coming over… all is well on that end, at least. What's wrong, Chaton?]**

She and Alya talked about what to do for a minute before deciding on a board game. Alya assured her friend that it was okay that she was distracted a bit, so they pulled out Sorry and left Alya to set up the game while Marinette checked her phone. Was Chat wanting to talk about their identities? She really hoped not. She hoped that he would completely stay away from the topic.

 _[Can we meet up tonight? I haven't really been around the best company for a while.]_

She grit her teeth, but typed out her reply. She wanted to be there for her partner, she really did, but what was she going to do about Alya? Just kick her out? The girl would definitely figure out that something was happening then. She'd have to decline.

 **[Sorry kitty, not tonight. I'm here to text all you want though.]**

She tried to make it positive, but she wasn't sure if it worked or not. She laid her phone down and took a quick run to the restroom, telling her friend that they would start as soon as she got back.

Marinette returned, however, to the loud sound of a ringing phone. _Alya was calling someone on her phone!_ She could only assume who it was.

"Listen girl, I couldn't help myself. I didn't read through your texts, just saw the one where he said 'I'm glad I'm your kitty.' And I couldn't stop myself from calling him to figure out who he is, since you refuse to tell me."

" _Alya_ you better hang that phone up right now! It's not your place, going through my phone and calling people without-" but before she could finish her sentence, Chat Noir answered with a sleepy "'ello?"

"This is Alya, Marinette's best friend, and I just needed to know who this was. She keeps texting you and not telling me who it is! I'm the best friend, I can't have that!"

Marinette was going to die. This was it, what she was worried about. But it wasn't her own stupidity that let the secret spill, it was her best friend. Of course her friend would be the one to reveal her identity, in her own way…! Her mind stopped after that, because what else could she think other that _Chat Noir knows who she was!_

"You know curiosity killed the kitty cat, Alya." He simply replied, a smirk in evident from his tone.

"What's your name?" she insisted, as Marinette fell to the floor. Alya looked at her with a worried glance, but didn't stop her advances from trying to figure out who was on the other line.

"My name? Well that's a secret. But I can tell you I'm just a poor cat that Marinette sometimes gives some milk and cookies."

"Ha ha, Marinette doesn't even like cats."

"Well doesn't that make this a _cat_ astrophe."

"Your puns are dumb." Alya said, finally getting tired of Chat's childish antics.

"Aw, is that _furry_ I hear in your voice?"

"Okay, that one was pretty bad." Marinette said, trying to pick herself up and be normal. But she couldn't, not really. Because this was Chat Noir, and he wasn't talking to Ladybug, he was talking to Marinette. Well, specifically Alya, but the point was still the same.

" _Purr_ incess, I'm so hurt! How could you deal such a low blow to your poor kitty?"

Marinette giggled. Of course Chaton could make her feel better, even when he was part of the reason that she was so upset. "Enough of your charm, we have to go. I'm going to kick Alya's ass at Sorry." She said, grabbing her phone from her friend.

"Oh. Maybe I'll come drop in like the stray I am. Goodbye, lovebug!" He said before he cut the line.

"Uh. Marinette. Was that Chat Noir? Because that sounded like Chat Noir. Especially with all his bad cat puns." Alya said, face a mystery.

"I'm pleading the fifth." She said, setting her pieces (red, of course.) in the start zone.

"You can't plead the fifth on this!" Alya said, putting her blue pieces in their spot as well.

"I totally am. Not answering anymore questions about black cat emoji. Now draw your card, I'll let you go first."

* * *

A/N: uh ohhhhh cat's out of the bag!


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien was pretty sure that his heart was about to burst. For many reasons all at the same time. He was pretty sure that he knew who his Ladybug was, he was pretty sure that Ladybug was his classmate, and he was pretty damn sure that Ladybug had a crush on the wrong side of him. From the text that she had sent explaining what happened between her and her friend, he could put the puzzle pieces together. She probably didn't mean for him to be able to piece the hints together, but here he was, trying anyway.

He had went over to Marinette's house that Wednesday, and saw pictures of himself on the walls. Of course he didn't think it was just adoration of his father's work – he wasn't an idiot – but he decided to let Marinette keep her crush a secret after he saw her face. He played it off and didn't act awkward at all, instead acting oblivious and keeping up the friendly façade. It wasn't like him to torture someone about their feelings, which is what he would have been doing if he acted anything but.

He figured that he'd let her keep her little secret. It wasn't like it was hurting him, after all. It just made it all the more obvious as to why she acted the way that she did when she was near him.

But now… now when he had a very large hunch that Marinette was Ladybug, it hurt a little. His face that he only put on to please his father was all that she had gotten to see, and she had developed feelings for it. Just a façade, just a mask to put on to please the masses. She didn't even get the glimpses that Nino had gotten of his true self. She just got a polite outer shell, and _that_ was who she decided to go after. That wasn't him at all!

His suspicions were later confirmed when Alya called. She literally told him that the phone belonged to Marinette, which meant that she was Ladybug. Instead of give away any grief or any sort of feeling at all, he just was himself, which is all he wanted to be around his Ladybug, a friend present or not. Marinette was quiet for the first half, probably upset that her identity had been given away to the black cat, but that was okay. He would get her to open up again, although it might take some time. He could always get his Ladybug to open up to him. He was her partner, after all. She cared about him. She had said so herself, showed him in the way she acted.

They would be okay soon.

So he played along, calling her his ' _purr_ incess,' showing that he would think of better names to call her while the mask was off. She responded, seemingly normal, but who even knew, really? Was Ladybug good at hiding? Was she good at manipulating people and hiding behind false smiles, like he was? What if Marinette was just another face, just another mask she decided to put on while she was at school?

But somehow he doubted it. His classmate always seemed so pure and bright, and despite how happy he was to get closer to her, that's one of the reasons that he was scared to get closer. What if he somehow tainted that light with his darkness? There was a reason that he had gotten the black cat, the power of destruction. All he knew how to do was manipulate and destroy. It fit him well. His jokes and puns and freedom just brought that out more in his everyday life, not made him more of a good person. It just made him manipulate his father more, manipulate his classmates and manipulate everyone that came in touch with him.

After all, what else could you call it when everyone you interacted with on a daily basis didn't even know you liked to communicate in jokes and over-emphasized flattery?

The only exception to that rule was his Ladybug. After he put on the mask, he let some people see, but he still had that bit of reservation even as Chat Noir. Unless he was around his partner. When they were together, he finally felt like he could be himself. She put up with him, even if most of the time it didn't seem like she quite enjoyed every display of affection he pointed towards her. He was himself, every bit of himself, and he felt like the mask had set him free, not hidden him.

But that didn't mean that he wasn't an awful person.

Sometimes he knew she didn't appreciate his advances, but he kept going anyway. He played with her, toyed with her, wanted her to show him affection like he showed her. But that wasn't going to happen, because she didn't feel that way towards him. He knew it, and he always wondered in his heart if, under the mask, she wasn't available.

Of course now he knew that she was, but not to him. He would have to worm his way into her heart, forcefully and harsh, but he would. He would do it, just so he could keep her close to him, because he wanted to be with someone, to not be alone anymore. To have someone care for him despite his antics, or maybe even because of them. Because they _liked_ how he acted.

And his Ladybug did. Maybe not so much in the romantic sense, but she liked him, platonically at least, even with all of his flirtations and flatteries. She was there for him in his darkest of times, and she even said she would be there when it was bright. She would be there for him, that much she had made clear. And why else would she do that unless she cared for him? And all that Ladybug knew about Chat Noir _was_ the way he wanted to act all the time. His open self, his true self.

And because Marinette was Ladybug, by default that meant that Marinette cared for him. Even if she had a crush on his outside alter-ego, she could be persuaded to care for Chat Noir, too, he was sure. Because it was already so close, wouldn't you think? So close, because she already cared, cared enough to give up her identity, even if she didn't necessarily want to. Because she knew it was a risk, she knew it could happen when she gave him that number, and still she did. She gave it to him and she talked to him, knowing that one wrong glance could end it all.

It did, in a way. It shattered the wall between Marinette and Ladybug for Chat Noir. Not that he cared, really. He had wanted to know who she was forever, ever since they had first met. But how did he feel about the fact that his strong, quick-witted hero was the same girl that was too scared to put together a sentence around the model in her class?

He didn't care, he decided. Because everyone had weaknesses and different faces. Take him, for example. But thinking back on it now, he could see different aspects of Ladybug in Marinette. In the way she held her own to Chloe, in the way that she could lead people at the flip of a coin. In the way that she stood sometimes, when she wasn't paying attention to anything but what was annoying her.

He could see it, and it didn't really bother him.

The only thing that bothered him was that _his Ladybug liked the wrong side of him._

And he wasn't really sure how to fix it.

"Kid, you've been silent for a really long while." Plagg finally said, the first sound after the phone call had ended.

"…yeah." He said, laying down and hiding under his covers. He needed to think and figure this out, not talk to his kwami.

"Why don't you think things through out loud?" the kwami asked, floating around near his head.

"I don't know." Adrien said, defeated.

"Try it."

"She likes the wrong me." He said, realizing that that was what had been bothering him the most. Because he wanted to know _why_. What did she see in that obviously fake fiend?

"Maybe you should try being the right you around her." Plagg said, sitting down near Adrien's head.

"How should I do that? We aren't even close." He said, staring straight ahead.

"Well I mean you got close that Wednesday. Use that as an excuse to pretend that you can act however you want around her." Plagg insisted.

"But what about the rest of the class? I have a name to uphold for the Agrestes." He rolled his eyes. That should have been the last thing on his mind right now, but it wasn't. Because that was why he was going through all this trouble, wasn't it? Because there was even a separate him to begin with.

"Do it just around her, Alya, and Nino. You don't have to do anything other than what you were doing around everyone else. You had plenty of masks without me, just keep them up. Remove them around Marinette. Don't try to put on a different one, that would completely defeat the purpose of this exercise."

He nodded.

"Yeah… I'll try." He turned around, away from his kwami, hopefully signaling that he was going to sleep.

"Goodnight, kitten." Plagg said.

Adrien wasn't going to go to sleep just yet, however. He still had things to think through. How much like himself would he act around Marinette? If he went in to school Monday acting just like Chat Noir, she would get suspicious. And despite the fact that her cover was blown, he was pretty damn sure that she didn't want to know who we was, even with the obvious hints that he had been dropping as well.

So he would have to take this gradually, one step at a time. He would have to make the polite Adrien mask fade away, not just be ripped off. He couldn't stand to take that long to be close to her, however.

He would get closer to her with the mask on, too. He would pursue not only his Ladybug, but Marinette in the mask as well. He didn't know how she would take it, but he couldn't really care about that. Not when he needed that closeness, craved it like he craved the freedom that he had a taste of. Once he got a little bit of something he liked, he couldn't let it go. He had to take it for himself.

With his mind made up, he snuggled deeper into the covers. Watch out Marinette, Ladybug, and whoever else she was, Adrien and Chat Noir were coming with full force.


	6. Chapter 6

In a way, Marinette was glad that Alya was over. Only for the aftermath, however. Because with Alya there, she couldn't freak out as much as she wanted to about her being outed to Chat Noir. She had to keep some kind of semblance of calm, only freaking out that Alya knew about her – as Marinette only – having Chat Noir's phone number. Of course she never confirmed or denied the fact that the number was indeed Chat Noir, but Alya wasn't an idiot either. She knew the superheroes like the back of her hand, in a way, so she knew Chat Noir when she heard him.

So in short, Alya being there was both a curse (only because it came first) but then a blessing. That Friday night they stayed up late playing games and talking, Alya about Nino and Marinette about Adrien when he had come over that Wednesday.

"I'm so glad he didn't realize that all these pictures were up because I have a crush on him!" Marinette said, sighing with relief.

"He's probably used to all of his fans. He is a famous model, after all." Alya said, putting another card in the pile.

"I got to the point where I could talk to him normally, Alya! It went away, but the point was still there!" Marinette cheered as she picked up a card.

"That's good, now you need to keep it that way. Despite being a model, he is still a normal person, you know?"

"Yeah, that's not why I'm nervous around him. I'm nervous because I want him to like me, and I don't want to mess up, not because he's famous or a model or anything."

"Well you might want to gain some confidence, girl! You're amazing, you just have to make him see that."

"Yeah, I know. I'll work on it, but I make no promises."

Alya and Marinette shared the bed, with Marinette cuddling Alya. Alya didn't seem to mind though, so she had no intention of stopping. Marinette was, simply put, a cuddler. You get near her and some pillows and blankets, and she was bound to cuddle you. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. So she spent the night cuddled with Alya, happy not to be alone.

Waking up in the morning was great. It was a lazy, gradual awakening, but she realized that she was alone. Alya was down in the chaise on her laptop, with her tablet and some books open, probably doing some homework that Marinette should be doing as well. Yawning and stretching after she set up, Marinette got Alya's attention.

"About time you woke up. It's only one in the afternoon." Alya said sarcastically.

One!? Even if Marinette slept a lot, she wasn't used to sleeping in _that_ much. She normally slept in until around eleven, and that was enough for her parents to fuss at her. Hopefully they wouldn't figure out that she had slept for so long, but knowing her luck, they probably already knew.

"I went downstairs and got something to eat while you were out." She pointed at the plate with croissants sitting on her dresser. "I saved some for you, though they might be bad now."

"I don't care, I'll eat 'em." Marinette said, grabbing her phone and making her way down the loft stairs. She grabbed one of the croissants and started nibbling on it, checking her phone.

She had a few texts from her partner, who she didn't necessarily want to talk to, but that was okay. She opened them up and read them anyway.

 _[Good morning purrincess! That'll be my nickname for Marinette from now on.]_

 _[Are you mad, about everything that happened? I understand if you are.]_

 _[Please don't cut me out though, I won't tell anyone. Cat's honor.]_

 _[I'd give you my identity, but I don't think you want to know mine. So I'll keep it a secret for now, just like yours. Don't worry, I really won't tell.]_

 _[Purrincess?]_

Her heart melted a little, in a way that she really didn't want to feel for the stupid cat. He was being so kind and considerate, and she didn't really know how to deal with it. And she was mad. At the situation, not at him, so she wasn't going to take it out on him. Was he used to people taking their anger out on him, even if they weren't directly mad at him? Ugh she was thinking too much.

The important thing was that she trusted Chat, she trusted him to keep her identity safe and she trusted him with anything else. She trusted him fully.

He even knew enough about her that he knew she didn't want to make it "even," that she didn't want to know his identity. It made her so happy, that this boy knew her so well. She didn't know why exactly, but it meant a lot to her. But cutting him off? There was no way she would. No way she even could.

 **[Hey Chaton, sorry, I was asleep. I'm just now waking up, believe it or not. I don't like the nickname, and I'm mad about what happened, but not at you. It wasn't your fault in the slightest. I trust you not to tell anyone. I don't want to know who you are, your identity at least needs to be kept a secret. Did you sleep okay? We didn't talk after that call.]**

She hit send and nibbled more on the croissant, oblivious to Alya's furtive glances.

"So, talking to the cat again? I'm just going to call him black cat emoji from now on."

"At least that way I'll know exactly who you're talking about." She took a big bite instead, her hunger getting the best of her. "And yeah, I'm talking to him." She ate the rest of her croissant, then grabbed a second one.

"Your phone buzzed a few times this morning. He seems needy. I can't handle needy." Alya said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She tried to look like she was still doing her homework, but Marinette knew that she had found an out and was going to take it. Anything to not do homework.

"I knew he was needy when we exchanged numbers." She replied, only because it was true. And it wasn't a bad needy, not really. It was an 'I need you or I'm going to hurt myself' kind of needy, which is something that was completely acceptable. Marinette didn't mind either needy, but at least the other made a bit more sense.

"I'm just glad Nino isn't needy like that. We text sometimes, but it isn't like a full time job, like my blog." Alya wiggled her eyebrows. "On which, the next article is going to be about how a certain superhero has given a civilian girl his number. No names will be given, of course."

Marinette called her bluff. "You wouldn't do that, because you aren't sure. You only post the truth, not guesses or rumors."

"Damn, you know me too well!" Alya called, finally snapping her book shut. "I was trying to do some homework while you were asleep, but now that you're awake…"

"You can help me with it?" Marinette finished for her, awaiting the glare that she was going to get from the girl.

She wasn't disappointed. Marinette just laughed. "No, we're going to the park." Alya said instead, proceeding to put all of her books in her bag.

"What? Alya I really do need to do this homework." Plus, she wanted to spend time with a certain kitty… She didn't know how his nerves and feelings were after the night before. She mostly just really wanted to check on him, to make sure that he was okay.

"Nu uh, you just want to talk to your cat all day. We're going out, but I'm not going to keep your phone from you." Alya said, slinging her bookbag on her back, emphasizing the fact that she was ready to go. "Waiting on you, girl."

Marinette hmphed, and to make a point she simply checked her phone.

 _[Aww purrincess, you're the best! Your trust in me makes me one happy kitty cat. As for sleeping, I slept like a cat in some warmth. Knocked right out. It was nice, really. No dreams or nightmares to ruin it, either. What about you?]_

Before she could reply Alya grabbed her phone. She really needed to change the password on that thing… She trusted Alya, but she knew that curiosity could get the best of her sometimes. She didn't really have a choice at the moment though.

She put her hands up in defeat, then moved to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. After changing into a T-shirt and jeans (Alya didn't say she needed to dress up, after all) they were ready to go. She went downstairs and talked to her parents a little, just enough to say hello and goodbye, then they were on their way.

The park wasn't far, it was just across the street, but it was still a pretty big park. She sat at the fountain and remembered the day that Adrien was modeling here, and she almost got to be an extra in the shoot. Alya sat down beside her.

"Thinking about fruit smoothies and marriage?"

"More like models and cats." She blurted without thinking.

…cats? She wasn't even thinking about Chat Noir, not really. Not until now, that is. She remembered that she hadn't gotten her phone back, then held her hand out to her friend. Alya knew exactly what she wanted, and dropped the phone in her hand without hesitation.

"I need to text him back." She explained, opening up the conversation with the cat.

 **[I'm not the best. I was outed so easily, how can that be the best? I'm a failure as Ladybug. And I'm glad you slept well, you deserve it. I had a nice night, too. Cuddled my friend Alya for the entirety of it, which really helped me sleep. Part of why I was out for so long, honestly. Are you a cuddler, Chat Noir?]**

She put her hand in the fountain, letting the cool water numb her hand. She didn't realize that she had felt that way about herself until it came out in text. She didn't want to feel this way about herself, but it just happened. She let Tikki down, she let Chat down, and she let herself down. She was horrible.

 _[Accidents don't define someone, milady. How they handle them does, and so far you've been handling it fine. Knowing you, Alya doesn't even know. That's something to celebrate, right? Think about the positive. As for cuddling, I used to cuddle my mother all the time, even when I was much too old to be doing so. Other than that, I'm not sure. Probably.]_

Why was this damn cat so nice!? Here she was, failing at something that her kwami had told her was the most important thing, and he's reassuring her, making it seem like it wasn't the big deal that it actually was. She supposed that she could be positive, and be thankful that Alya didn't know who she was. And she was thankful, grateful even. The second that Alya found out who Ladybug was, the second the rest of the world (or at least her ladyblog followers) knew. That hadn't happened yet, which was good.

It was one person, not many.

That one person happened to be who she trusted the most in the world.

Things could be worse, she decided.

"You seem to be really thinking." Alya said, playing on her own phone.

"Huh?" Marinette said, snapping out of her inner musings. "Yeah, I guess. Been a hectic week." And it had been.

"Are you dying from lack of Adrien?" Alya teased, wiggling her eyebrows at the girl

"No!" Marinette said way too loudly. "I'll see him on Monday, so it'll be fine." She realized a little too late that she admitted she spent a bit too much time wanting to see the model.

"Haha! That's true, isn't it." Alya replied, pressing keys on her own phone.

 **[You've never cuddled anyone else? You're missing out, Chaton. As for me being a failure… I'll try to be more positive when I think about it. It's just worrisome, since it's the one thing I was supposed to protect, and now it's revealed.]**

 _[It's just me, though. I can keep a cat or two in the bag, instead of letting them all free, sometimes. Your secret is safe, still, so it's not a failure.]_

 **[It's a failure to me.]**

 _[Well not to me. And my opinion counts more than yours on the matter. So ha!]_

 **[Who decided that?]**

 _[Me! Since I'm not the one who is worried about it, I have the least amount of bias on the subject. So I know that you're fine.]_

"So what are you two talking about, anyway?" Alya asked, looking up from her own phone, finally.

"Uh," Marinette couldn't tell her the truth, not at the moment, anyway. "Cuddles?" It was a past topic, but a topic nonetheless.

"Okay, that's random."

"He's a random person."

"Whatever you say."

"Why did you bring me out here, anyway?" Marinette asked, tired of the curiosity that had been gnawing at the back of her mind.

"Because you weren't going to leave the house today otherwise. Some fresh air is good for you, especially when you're worrying." Alya replied simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"How did you know I was worrying?" Marinette clammed up, did Alya know after all?

"Because you've been sleepy all week, and you never sleep well when you're stressed out." Alya replied in the same deadpan voice. "I know you well enough by now, don't you think?"

"Oh, yeah." Marinette replied, relieved. She wasn't ready to share her worries with the girl yet, but it was nice to know that she still cared despite that fact.

"Well, we've been out here long enough now if you want to go back." She said, getting up and stretching. Marinette checked the time. It had been about thirty minutes.

"Yeah, I do want to go back." Marinette said, getting following suit.

They walked back across the street in silence, but Alya didn't go inside. "I'm going to go ahead and head back home. See you later."

"Oh, okay." Marinette said, a little disappointed. Now she was going to be alone with her thoughts, and she was afraid of where they would turn. "I'll see you later."

She walked up to her room, then sat down at her desk, waking up her desktop.

The background was a collage of Adrien's photos with hearts that she had made herself. It wasn't too shabby, if she did say so herself, but looking at it now just felt wrong.

She felt like she wasn't worthy, or something like that. She knew that it was stupid, that it wasn't the truth at all, but the feeling of worthlessness still swept over her. Tikki crawled out of her purse, but Marinette couldn't make herself say anything.

"Chat Noir knows who you are, Marinette." Tikki said, chewing on one of the croissants that had been left in her room.

"I'm sorry, Tikki." She said, starting to cry. Because she really had failed, hadn't she?

"It's okay, Marinette!" Tikki said, happiness flooding her voice. "It's good that it's only Chat Noir, and not Alya or someone who would spread the information like wildfire. You trust him with your life, I think it's safe to trust him with your identity."

A weight felt like it had been lifted from Marinette's chest. Had she really been so worried about what her kwami would think? Apparently. "Yeah, I think so too."

"Then cheer up, Marinette!" The kwami nuzzled her cheek. "It'll all be alright."

She then remembered her phone, but she didn't know how to respond, anyway. So she climbed up to her balcony and sat, closing her eyes. She could just rest here, and forget that everything had happened, almost.

It was peaceful, and she had almost lost all the stress in her mind when Chat Noir dropped right in front of her.

"Why hello, _purr_ incess." He said, that cocky grin present on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Adrien had just been wanting sweets, honest. He had been worried about Ladybug – no, Marinette – and she wasn't responding to his texts. He was planning on going by to get some sweets, and to maybe make sure that she was okay…

Okay, he really wanted to check on her. He was scared that, by introducing her to his problem, she would try it out herself, and he really didn't want that. It was the last thing that he wanted. And even if he went and was too late, he could help her, somehow. Help her so she wasn't alone.

He was planning on just peeking in her window (pure intentions, honest!) to make sure that she was okay, but when he saw her almost asleep on the balcony, he couldn't stop himself.

"Ch-Chat Noir!" She jumped right out of her skin when he made his presence known. She looked cute like this, he thought, out of costume. He always knew that she was cute, but seeing her through his knew-found knowledge made it even better. He knew that she was Ladybug, after all. It didn't make her any cuter, or change her appearance at all to him, but it was a new experience. It was getting to see Ladybug in casual clothes, not just her suit.

He stood there for a second longer, looking at her face, before he said anything else. "Cat got your tongue?" he said, leaning on his baton.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed under her breath, and looked around. It was like he was a secret.

Oh, he would _definitely_ be her secret.

"I came to check on you." He said, dropping down with his legs crossed in front of him. "You hadn't responded, and you seemed pretty upset." He decided that honesty was the best policy at this point, and noted that she didn't seem like joking around.

"Chat, you can't just come here whenever you want!" She said, gaining a bit of volume and standing, putting her hands on her hips. She was towering over him at this point, but Chat Noir didn't mind. Let her be above him, over him.

"Aww, but _purr_ incess, I just wanted to see you." He said, batting his eyelashes.

"Go away."

"Not until I make sure you're okay."

She looked away from him, and Chat Noir caught the faint blush that spread on her cheeks as he said that. It made him more confident in his actions, confident that the choice he made the night before was the right way to go. "You can see me, I'm fine. Now go."

Chat Noir just stretched his arms and back where he was sitting. "But I just got here, and I don't want to leave." He said. It was day three of being locked in his room except for all of his random lessons, that had been moved into the house. He couldn't even go outside as Adrien. This was where he wanted to be, but he would honestly take anywhere that wasn't his house at this point.

"Too bad, go home." She said, turning away from him.

"Please don't make me go back there right now." He said, getting sadder than he meant. His voice betrayed him, but that was okay, because this was Ladybug, this was his partner, who knew about his habits and who knew why he wouldn't want to go back. She wouldn't judge him for being weak, for wanting out for a while.

She looked over at him with concern in her eyes. She then sighed in defeat, and opened a window on the floor of the balcony. "Then come inside, Chaton." She climbed down first, but left the door open.

He hesitantly took a step down into her room. This wasn't the first time that he had been in her room, but he would have to pretend. He made his way to the floor, then made a point of looking around.

"It's very pink. Fit for a princess like yourself." He said finally, looking straight at her. She just shrugged and sat down on her chaise. He took her quietness as a chance to look around more. He made it to the corner where his pictures were on the wall, and touched them with his gloved hand. "This is the boy you like, right?" He said, trying to keep his voice steady. There was no reason to show her any emotion about a boy he wasn't supposed to know.

"Yeah, Adrien. You know him, if you're in our class." She said, not really paying him much attention. Ah, but he had forgotten that hint. He had dropped it earlier in the week, when they were talking in suit about different things they liked. He didn't know at the time that Marinette – Ladybug – was in his class, but it still was a bit too much about his identity. He'd have to careful keep the reigns on that for now.

"Yeah, I do. He seems cut off from everyone." He said, hoping that wasn't too wrong of an accusation. He wanted to get close to people, but he was also kind of scared too. Plus his reputation as a model and as Chloe's friend didn't really help him to get close to anyone but Nino.

"He's close to Nino." She said, mimicking his thoughts.

"Are you okay Marinette? You seem really out of it." He said, dropping down on the chaise in front of her.

"No, I'm not okay." She said, anger burning in her eyes.

What did he do? Was he going to get kicked out? Or worse, was she going to cut ties with him? He didn't even know what he did! "Did I do something?" he asked, not being able to look her in the face.

"No, not you." She said, her tone softening. Relief flooded over him. "Alya. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be in this situation right now. She told Nino I had a crush on Adrien, and then she _takes my phone_ and _calls you with it_. She invaded my privacy not once but twice, and then told a secret I didn't want anyone to know. It's maddening, and I'm just now having a reaction about it. I was totally fine about it while she was still here, because I was getting over the fact that I just got revealed to you." She ended with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not that any of that is your fault. I just… I've been trying not to think, and when I was thinking it was all about you and Ladybug. Now it's just anger overflowing at Alya for being such… such a bad friend these past few days."

"Oh." Relief flooded his features, tension melting out of him as he curled up in a ball on the end of her chaise. "That was really shitty of her to do," he said, his chin resting between his knees, "but she didn't know that she was giving Chat Noir Ladybug's identity, you know?" he said, tilting his head as much as he could. "You can be mad at her for invading your privacy with the phone, but that's about it." He finished, looking at her face.

Anger morphed it into an ugly expression. "Why, that's not true at all!" She got off the chaise and stood, looking down at the cat. "I can be as mad as I want to, because she is the reason I am feeling like this! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be feeling like I couldn't keep a secret, or like I'm worthless because I let down my kwami! I wouldn't feel like the biggest part of me had been ripped out and shared to the world! I can be as mad as I want to be!" She glared at him.

He curled up even further, or at least attempted to. He didn't like his ladybug mad at him, didn't like it at all. "No- I just – I –" he stammered, not able to get out what he meant. Please don't be mad at him, please don't be mad at him, he can't take it, he can't take the negative feelings, not from her, not from anyone, but especially not from her, not from his partner, not from his everything…!

She immediately relaxed and put her hand on his shoulder, to which he flinched away from. She jerked her hand back, like it had burned her, but she tried again, and this time Chat stayed still. "I didn't mean to shout at you." She said, sitting down beside him. "It's just, don't tell me I don't have the right to get angry, because I do. Even if she didn't know all the details, she should have known better than to press me on something I was keeping from her. She claimed that she knew me so well today, well she knew me well enough not to do that."

"Okay…" he said, staring down at his boots. "Are you going to confront her about it?" He asked, finally looking at the girl.

"Yeah, I think I am." She said, nodding. "Even if it is a little delayed, she needs to know I really don't appreciate how I was treated."

"That's true, Marinette. You need to stand up for yourself, even if it is a little late." He smiled, trying to reassure her. Because after all, him and his needless emotions weren't the reason that he was here. He was here to help console her, to help her to feel better, not to start feeling like a worthless ball of goo himself.

"I don't deserve to feel like that." She said, putting her hand on her chest.

"No, you don't. You deserve only happiness." He said, and he meant it. If it were up to him he would take away all of her worries, all of everything that hurt her. Because she was his Ladybug, and he was her Chat Noir. She might not know it yet, but they were meant for each other, and that's what he was planning on doing. He needed her. He needed her so bad. "So about these cuddles…" he said, before he could psych himself out of it.

She actually giggled. The same giggle that Ladybug does, though that shouldn't surprise Chat at this point. They were the same person, after all. "Do you want cuddles, Chaton?" She asked, already moving to hug his shoulders. "Don't take this the wrong way. I'm only doing this because I need them, too." She said, her head resting on his back.

"I know that I can contact you when I need you. You know that you can ask the same of me, right?" He said, looking up at the ceiling.

"…yeah." She said after a moment of hesitation, like she wasn't aware of the fact, but had just realized it.

"I'll be here for you, Marinette." He said, taking her arms off of him so he could face her. "I mean it. I'll be here for you. No matter what, _purr_ incess." A grin coming on his face at the last word, ruining the serious factor of the statement, because he couldn't take how serious things were getting at the moment. He needed a light-hearted moment.

She lightly punched his shoulder. "I'll be here for you too, Chaton." She said with a smile, seeming to ignore his pet name for her.

He dove into her arms and put his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. It took her a moment, but she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. He didn't know he needed it until it was happening.

And in that moment, he really believed that everything would be okay.


	8. Chapter 8

Marinette couldn't turn him away. Not when he looked at her like that, and when he had stated that he didn't want to go home. She couldn't just throw him out on the street like a stray. So she took him in. He came inside with her, commented on her pictures of Adrien (which she didn't even have the heart to get emotional over), and they ended up hugging each other.

When Marinette wanted to pull away, however, Chat Noir wouldn't. He just held her close, refusing to let go. "Chat Noir." She said, trying to pull him off of her.

"Just a little longer." He said, his voice breaking.

Was he crying?

He was. Chat Noir was crying on her, and that broke her heart. He was too happy-go-lucky to be this sad. His face needed that cocky grin on it, a smile, laughter coming out of his mouth, not sobs and broken voices. She hugged him again, burying her cheek in his hair, the strands tickling her face. She would oblige, just for him. Because even though he knew that she was boring old Marinette, who stuttered around her crush and didn't have as much confidence as she let on in the mask, he was still there. He still believed in her and trusted her. He still cared for her. And of course her care for him only grew.

"Marinette! It's time for dinner!" Her mom called up, breaking the spell.

He let go, refusing to look at her and wiping his tears away. She just patted his back, then said "I'll be right back, okay?" He nodded, but didn't look up.

She walked down the stairs, smelling her mom's delicious cooking. She smiled, and started to make herself a very large plate. "So I won't have to get seconds," she explained when her parents looked at her oddly.

"I'm going back up to my room," She stated, heading towards her stairs instead of the table. "I'm working on homework."

She was up the stairs and had the door shut before her parents could even get a word out. Cat Noir had moved from the chaise to her corner where she hung her pictures of Adrien. He was looking at them, and she couldn't understand the look in his eyes. It was… angry, almost, but also sad. Jealous, maybe? It was all sorts of negative emotions wrapped into one, and she really hoped that he didn't say anything about it.

"I brought food." She said, sitting down in the middle of her floor. She was glad when he didn't say anything, but instead walked gracefully over to where she sat, joining her.

"Okay? It looks really good. Do you normally eat this much?" he asked, eying her plate.

She knew the deal. Everyone who saw how much she ate never understood it. How could she eat so much and still be so thin? She knew, she heard, and she was tired of it. "I'm Ladybug, you know. Gotta give myself some calories to burn."

"Oh. Well, I mean, you're right." Chat said, not thinking. "I don't eat extra because of being Chat, so I didn't think of it that way." He admitted.

"Oh." She said, looking down. "Well, I grabbed a second fork anyway, so eat up." She said, holding it out for him.

He took it after a second, and then dug in. "This is delicious!" he exclaimed, shoveling the food in his mouth. Did Chat Noir have no manners? She giggled though, because it was cute, watching him enjoy his food to the fullest. "You wound me _purr_ incess! Laughing at my joy!" He said between mouthfuls of food.

"Just thinking you're enjoying it a little too much."

"I don't think it's too much," he mumbled, finishing the food.

Marinette was going to stop him, but she didn't. She just let him eat every bite, knowing that he must be hungry. Did he not eat a lot? That must be the case, seeing how much he had eaten.

"Thank you, Marinette." He said, looking at her with honesty in his eyes, meaning every word.

"…yeah" She said, feeling the warmth in her face. Why was she getting so red-faced around her partner recently? Was it because they had started to know each other on a different, more intimate level? That was probably it. She just didn't know these things about him before, that was all.

That was definitely it, right?

Right?

"Did you say you had homework?" He asked, pushing the plate away from him.

"Yeah, but I don't want to do it right now." She said, pouting. "I was going to do it tomorrow and pretend that I was working on it tonight so that I could spend more time with you." She said, the truth falling out past her lips. Not necessarily that she wanted to keep the truth from him, but not wanting to exactly tell him everything either. She knew that he would somehow turn it into a joke against her.

"I wanted to spend more time with you, too." He said, looking away from her. Well, that was unexpected. Maybe he was still vulnerable from earlier. She followed her gaze, and found him looking at Adrien's pictures again. "Tell me princess," he said, without the cat pun in the title, "what do you like so much about him?"

"He's kind, and puts on this face for everyone. He is loyal to his old friends, even when they're not exactly what he imagined them to be. He tries his hardest to make everyone feel included, and when someone makes it into his friend group, he cares about them. I think he's hiding what he really feels like, but it just makes me want to figure it out more." She said, looking at the picture of Adrien. She was happy thinking about him, and a dumb grin had made its way to her face.

His face, on the other hand, was unreadable. "What if his face is nothing like his outer shell?" He asked, an innocent enough question. She had asked herself the same the question before in the past.

"I haven't figured that out yet." She answered honestly, because her partner deserved the truth, despite how much it hurt her to say it. "But I don't think he's that different. Though if he's like you, Chaton, I'd probably be pretty lucky." She answered, trying to make him smile.

It worked, his face brightening up immediately. "Aww, you're the best, _purr_ incess!" he leapt from where he sat and tackle hugged her. "I am a pretty amazing kitty cat, aren't I?" He said, and she could swear that he was purring.

He was purring. She could hear it.

She didn't comment, just hummed quietly to herself and started to scratch behind his human ears, to which he purred louder. She was extremely happy to hear the physical confirmation that he was okay, that he was happy, at least at the moment. She kept scratching.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours before Chat Noir finally broke the silence. "Do you really think you'd be lucky if that Adrien guy was like me?" he said, quitting the purring.

"In a way, yes, Chaton. You're very dependable and I trust you with my life. In certain ways no, because you can annoy me to pieces. We're superhero partners, Chat Noir. That's it."

He was quiet for a few more minutes, before a quiet voice said "I thought we were becoming friends, at least." Chat Noir stood up, not looking at her. "Sorry for the misconception." He took his baton and lifted himself through the skylight, then went away in the night.

She just sat, frozen. She didn't mean to push him away, but what else could she have said? Tears started rolling down her face. She was so stupid! How could she say something like that?

 **[Chaton, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. Give me a minute to explain.]**

She waited a minute, but didn't get any objecting messages, so she started to type out her long-winded explanation.

 **[You are my partner, Chat Noir. This title means that you're the one person I trust my life with on the battlefield. I don't know who you are, and you didn't know who I was until yesterday. The only facet of each other that we know are what we show each other in the mask. And last week, we didn't know each other personally. We were just two super heroes saving Paris, and that's what I was thinking of when we were talking today. Now I know that you're human, that you hurt and that behind your flirting and smirks are a boy who is insecure and doesn't know that people care. And you know that I'm just a girl who can't even talk to her crush. Now we know so much more about each other, and it's just.. it's happening really fast Chaton. I can't even think, much less process my feelings. But you are a friend. You are the most important person to me, my most trusted Chaton. Please don't be angry or hurt with me.]**

She sent the message and cried more, hiding her face in her hands. She felt like she was messing things up with Chat Noir when she was just speaking her mind. That one wrong word, even if it was the truth, would send him into a spiral that would lead him to hurting himself, and it would be all her fault. She couldn't stop crying, even when her mom came up and asked what was wrong. She couldn't answer, she could only shake her head and cry harder. Eventually she felt her phone vibrate, and she checked it in front of her mom, not being able to wait any longer to hear what he had to say.

 _[I'm sorry for running, I just… I can't explain everything right now, but you're not at fault. Thank you for letting me know what was going through your head. I really appreciate it.]_

It was short and serious, but it made her tears dry up a little bit. Her mom patted her on the back, took the empty plate and dishes, and walked back downstairs, motherly intuition letting her know that the girl would rather be alone at the moment. Instead of typing out another message, however, she hit the call button and waited.

It rung so long she thought for sure it was going to go to voicemail, but at the last minute Chat Noir picked up.

"Marinette." He said, bypassing hellos. Did he sound angry? No, she didn't think so. He just… got straight to the point for some reason.

"I didn't want you to leave." She said, her voice cracking.

"…Have you been crying?" He asked after a moment of hesitation.

She started sobbing again, not able to hold it in any more. Everything had just piled up, and this was the moment that she could let it fly. Alya, Adrien, Chat Noir… it all came out now.

"I'm sorry, Marinette. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you. Really. Please, don't cry don't cry it's my fault I'm sorry –" he cut himself off, and Marinette tried her hardest to stop the crying.

"It's not your fault. It's everything that's been going on. I've just been so stressed, and a lack of sleep has really impaired my judgement and everything else. It's just… I'm just stressed, kitty cat."

"Oh. I'm sorry…" He said, and it broke her heart.

"Don't be Chaton. Really, there's nothing for you to be sorry for."

"If you say so…"

"I would let you know if there was." She promised. Because it was true. Her and Ladybug both had a knack for telling Chat Noir when he was getting on her nerves, or anything else he might have done wrong. It wasn't an empty promise.

"I'll take your word for it." He said, still down.

"Kitty cat, all that crying has made me really tired." She said, yawning. "I probably need to go to sleep."

"Please don't leave me alone…" he begged quietly.

And that was how she fell asleep on the phone for the first time, curled up in bed and wishing that her cat was beside her instead of through a tiny box.


	9. Chapter 9

Adrien woke up slowly. He yawned, and when he heard a soft "five more minutes, mom," coming from his phone, he grinned wildly. This was his partner on the other line, the one person who he meant enough to… to keep her phone on all night? It didn't make sense, he supposed, since it was such a simple gesture, but it meant a lot to him, and that was all that mattered, right? She did it because it meant a lot to him.

"Marinette," He called out sleepily. He didn't know why he wanted to wake her up, he just wanted her to share in his joy. Maybe he could say enough stupid jokes to make her happy. "Wake up." He taunted, a cute fluctuation in his voice, if he did say so himself.

"Shush, Chat Noir, I'm trying to sleep." She said, enough awake to realize that he was the one taunting her, but not enough to realize that she could just hang up the phone if he was bothering her that badly.

" _Purr_ incess!" He called out, begging in his voice this time. He didn't want her to go back to sleep. He wanted to stay awake with her, to begin his day chatting with his partner. And not just over text this time, either. It would be in person! It would be the best start to his day, ever!

"Uuuuggghhhh! Fine!" She exclaimed, obviously a little aggravated, but she still stayed up nonetheless. Adrien did a little victory dance.

"Yes!" He said, probably a little too loudly, but he didn't mind. "It's already ten anyway, milady." He said, checking his phone without ending the call.

"I probably need to get up." She sighed. "I have homework to do all day today." She sighed again. "I don't really understand any of what we're doing…"

He perked up even more as he saw a chance to actually spend the day with her. "Do you want some help?"

"Only if you're good at this stuff." She said after a minute, like she was considering his offer.

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't." He replied, then threw the cover off of his bed. "I'll need to get some camembert…" He mused, digging through his drawers to find clothes to put on. Not that it really mattered, since he was going to be transformed, but he didn't want to have to come back in his pajamas.

"Your kwami won't mind, will he?"

"I will!" Plagg cut in, floating around Adrien. "I will very much!"

"Oh shut up, you." Adrien laughed. "I'll give you plenty of camembert. As much as you want."

"You better mean that, kitten." Plagg threatened, but he quieted after that.

"See? All is fine." Adrien said, pulling his shirt over his head, then changing the rest of his clothes.

"Fine, fine, you can come." Marinette said, and Adrien wondered when she figured out that he was asking for permission to see her again. Probably at the very beginning. He was a desperate kitty, and he didn't mind his Ladybug knowing. Anyone else he would be embarrassed, but his ladybug already knew how needy he was, and she didn't mind. She probably wanted to keep an eye on him after the day before, anyway.

He would let her.

"Okay, I'll be there soon." He said, then hung up the phone, before she could object, or she could tell him to take his time. Because as soon as he brushed his teeth, he was out of his house and flying through the streets of Paris.

It took him maybe five minutes to make it to her house, glad that she lived so close. He landed on her balcony again, empty this time. He peeped through the skylight window, and what he saw warmed his heart. She was getting ready for him, running around her room. It was cute, mostly, just watching her with a hair tie in her mouth and the other halfway through her hair. She bounced around in some jeans and the shirt that she slept in (it was wrinkled like she slept in it, anyway), without any socks. A red thing flied around her, and he figured that that was her kwami.

He giggled quietly to himself, then he tapped his fingers on the glass.

Marinette's head snapped up towards him, and the look on her face was priceless. He wouldn't have given up that sight for the world. He waved at her with a cocky grin on his face, and she "hmphed!" at him so loud he could hear it through the glass.

It took her a second, but she reluctantly went up to come let him inside. He giggled as he gracefully fell to the floor, then cleared his throat. "What a lovely morning, my _purr_ incess!"

"Why do you keep calling me that!? It's so overused by you it's already getting on my nerves." She said, crossing her arms.

"Because it suits you so well! And because you're my princess." He replied, grinning even more, if that were possible.

"I'm not a princess, much less _your_ princess." She said, sighing and going over to her bookbag. "I wasn't kidding when I said I really needed to get started on this…"

"It just means I win this argument." He taunted, his grin so wide it almost hurt his face.

She just mocked him, rolling her eyes, and she sat down at her desk. "You can sit on the floor." She nodded her head beside her, when she had thrown a very comfortable-looking pillow.

He didn't do as she said, and instead picked the pillow up off of the floor and sat on her chaise. "How about you come sit with me?" He hid most of his face behind the pillow, but kept his eyes on her. She just groaned, but didn't protest too much.

"Only because I like studying there more." She grumbled as she picked up her books and made her way over, sitting across from him.

"Nu uh!" he said, grabbing her shoulders. He moved her to where she was sitting right in front of him, his chest on her back. He purred when she went along with it with minimal resistance.

"You just get whatever you want, don't you, kitty?" She tilted her head to ask him, to which he just purred louder.

"Only when you spoil me, milady." He said, putting his head on her shoulder. "This is much better."

"How am I supposed to study?" She threw her hands up in the air, holding her pen in one hand. He took the pen from her, and leaned over her to grab her tablet. Getting comfortable back behind her, he started writing on the tablet in front of her.

 _This is how (pawprint) (heart)_

"Oh, haha." She said with only a slight amount of humor in her voice. But it was still there, so Chat Noir smiled even more. He was getting exactly what he wanted, and after so long, it felt _so nice_.

They stayed like that for a while, Marinette refusing to study and instead just doodling on her tablet. Chat watched with wide eyes, loving how she became a part of what she was doing. Since his face was beside hers on her shoulder, he could sense when her facial expression changed, which is what happened when she started drawing a face, or when she couldn't get something just right. It was adorable, and he was loving every second of being able to be with her.

Eventually she started drawing _him_ , which made his heart swell more. They were dynamic poses, with different facial expressions – smirks, smiles, and even focused faces – but never sad. Never negative. "Why don't you draw the whole spectrum of facial expressions?" He asked, breaking the long silence.

"I touch on most of them." She evaded. But he wasn't going to let her get away.

"None of them are negative." He insisted.

"I don't like seeing you sad." She said quietly, turning her tablet screen off. She leaned back into him, turning a bit so she could bury her face into his neck instead. "I think you look much better without those expressions on your face." It was so quiet he wouldn't have caught it without his enhanced hearing.

He hugged her, pulling her close. "It's a good thing you make me happy then, huh?" He pulled back to see her face, then smiled at her. She was crying. He couldn't stop worry from flooding his face. "What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare last night." She answered, meeting his eyes. "You cut too deep and killed yourself."

He shook his head. "No, Marinette, I don't do that to kill myself, I do that to… I can't really explain why." He had a frustrated twist to his mouth, because it wasn't that he didn't _want_ to tell Marinette the reason, it was because he couldn't form the words. He didn't really know why he did what he did, he just… well… did.

"I read about it online the day you told me." She replied, looking away. "Online people mentioned that it might be because you feel out of control of your life, and that's something you can control. Or it's a way for you to feel something." She sounded like a crying dictionary.

"It might be the control thing." Chat said, honestly thinking about it. "I don't have much control of my own life." He admitted, but he was careful what else was going to come out of his mouth, knowing that she didn't want to know anything that could identify him.

"Have you done it since telling me?" It took her a minute to gather up the courage to ask, and Chat Noir was proud of her, only because he could tell that she didn't really want to put the words out of her mouth, but she wanted the information so she asked anyway.

"No, I haven't." He replied, with a little bit of pride in his voice. It had been the longest in months that he had went without hurting himself, and honestly it was all thanks to her, because she had proved to him that there was happiness outside of those walls, that there was more to life than being a model and fighting bad guys.

There was happiness for him, too.

"That's good, Chaton. I'm proud of you." She hid her face back in his neck. "So proud."

"You do a lot in making me happy." He said, the words slipping out, but him not regretting them. Because they were true, she did do a lot that made him happy. He was falling in love with her all over again, and he didn't even realize that could happen, not with the same person.

But it was, because he was falling in love with her softer side. The side that was gentle and kind, and the side that cared for him so much, even in a platonic way. Because it proved to him that someone could care, and he doubted that anyone would ever care for him in such a way again.

"I'm glad I make you happy, Chat Noir." She smiled, he could feel it against his neck.

"Of course, Marinette. I wouldn't be around you so much if you didn't make my life better. I might not have much control, but that much I can change."

"So me in your life is a choice?"

"The smartest one I ever made."


	10. Chapter 10

Even though she didn't get any homework done, Marinette didn't regret her decision to have Chat Noir over the day before. They had spent all day cuddling and talking, and it honestly made Marinette confused about her feelings.

Before, she had just known Chat Noir as the flirty partner, the person who could only get serious when the safety of Paris was at stake. But now she knew him more, she knew his softer side and his funny side, his caring side and the side where he takes up for her. She knew that he was sweet, and that he was so much more than his flirting had led her to believe.

And the fact that she was showered with attention.

She wasn't falling for someone just because she was getting attention (but wait, she wasn't _falling_ for Chat Noir at all!), but more because of the nature of it all. It was just so tender and kind, like she was the most precious thing in the universe. And it was hard not to start having feelings for someone who thinks that you're more important than the sun, and perhaps oxygen itself.

She couldn't even talk to Alya about it because of the lingering anger from the weekend. Maybe after she told her off, they could make up and she could talk about it? She really needed someone to talk to it about.

But she would have to think about that later, after she got up out of bed and started getting ready for the day.

She was normally excited on Mondays, because she got to see Adrien! But she didn't know what to feel right now. Should she be happy she gets to see him? Or frustrated because she doesn't know if her feelings are as pure as they were before? And what about Alya? How was she going to confront her, because she definitely didn't want her friend's actions the day before to go unpunished. Even if it _had_ brought her and Chat Noir closer, she still didn't appreciate the breach in privacy.

She sighed as she went downstairs, for once on time for school.

Her parents wished her a good day, and she kissed their cheeks and left, grabbing breakfast to eat on the way. It was just a piece of toast, hardly breakfast, but it was really all she thought her stomach could handle at that time. She always had a queasy stomach when she was worried.

She arrived at the school early enough to see Alya walking in. She didn't call out, but the girl turned around and saw her anyway.

"Marinette!" She called, waving her hand with a large smile on her face.

Marinette couldn't return it.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, eyeing her a little strangely.

"Delayed reaction." She responded, looking straight at her friend. "I'm mad about Friday."

"That is a delayed reaction."

"You took my phone without asking, and even if you didn't look through my messages, you _called someone_ from my phone to figure out a secret I had. I would have told you when I was ready. Did you ever think that maybe there was a reason I hadn't told you?" Marinette lashed out, glaring at her.

Alya was silent, gaping at her.

"What? Did you really think that that was _okay_? Would you like it if I took your phone and randomly called someone without asking permission?"

"I… I didn't think about it." Alya replied after a second.

"Yeah, you didn't. And it really pissed me off." Marinette crossed her arms over her chest.

"I didn't mean to upset you, and I'm sorry about it." Alya sincerely apologized. "I know it's too late to take it back, but I won't do something like that again, I promise."

"You better not. The only reason I didn't get mad at the time was the fact that I have so much stuff going on…" She trailed off, sighing.

Marinette's life in the past few days had been more complicated than every day since Tikki combined. First she found out that someone she cared about way too much had been hurting himself. Then Alya's invasion of privacy, Ladybug's identity being revealed, and then budding feelings for the cat? Which is what she wanted to talk about in the first place…

Alya looked rightfully shamed, so Marinette figured that was enough. "As long as you won't do it again." She said, with a smile on her face.

"Forgiven?" Alya smiled.

"Forgiven."

"So what all has been worrying you?" Alya asked as they started walking again, heading towards homeroom. "If you want to tell me about it, I mean."

She giggled a little, but answered her anyway. "Well someone important to me – "

"Black cat emoji?"

"Black cat emoji. He… just has been worrying me. He hasn't been feeling so great and I try to be there to help, but I know I can't be there all the time."

"Marinette, you worry too much about others. You need to worry about yourself, too."

"I mean, I am worrying about myself. I just, I really care about him, and I want to watch out for him."

"You really care about him? What kind of care about?"

They took their seats now, most other students already in the room. Nino and Adrien were chatting, and it made Marinette a little nervous. She was so used to another blonde, that seeing Adrien was just… strange. She didn't know how to feel about him.

"I don't know." She replied, quietly.

"Do you like him?" Alya pressed on, leaning closer towards her, trying to be quiet, which Marinette appreciated.

"Hey Marinette." A voice called, and Marinette turned her head towards it.

It was… Adrien?

"H-hi?" She replied, waving kind of awkwardly. Normally she would be excited; her crush was talking to her! But today, she just looked at him. He didn't have that same… glow to her that he normally had. He didn't seem so special, he just seemed like… a stranger.

She never thought that she'd be referring to her former love as a stranger, but really, that's what he is, isn't he? Just a stranger. She doesn't know him outside of class, outside of pleasantries and outside of smiles. She's studied and spent time with him _once_ , that doesn't mean that she really knew him. He was just a stranger.

And that closed the nail on that coffin, burying her crush for the model. Because she might like him, she might like the real him, but right now, she didn't know him. She didn't know him from Adam, except for his fashion and nice hair.

"Thanks for inviting me over the other day. It was nice, to get out of my normal routine for a while." He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Yeah Adrien, no problem!" She said, no stutter or any awkwardness. Because why would there be? He was just someone in her class, just another person.

Alya's mouth dropped, and even Nino looked at her like she had grown another head. Adrien just smiled, like he liked the change.

"Could we do something like that again some time?" He asked hesitantly, like he was stepping over some boundaries.

To most people he probably would be – but Marinette was never really a closed person, and she had many people over all the time. Plus her parents loved him from the previous time, and he was a classmate, after all. "Yeah! Do you want to do tomorrow night, since we have that test in Chemistry Wednesday?" She asked, nodding.

Alya and Nino's stares didn't stop, instead they worsened as she chatted with him about the next time they got together, to which Marinette extended the offer to them as well. It took them a second to snap out of their shock, but eventually they agreed.

Right as the bell rang for lunch, Alya grabbed Marinette by the arm and dragged her out into the hallway. "Girl!" She said in a loud whisper, "what the hell was that?" She demanded. "Adrien was talking to you and you didn't freak out at all! And then when you finally had a chance to be alone with him, _when you aren't acting like a fool in front of him anymore,_ you go and invite me and Nino!? What has gotten into you?" She got a little louder around the middle, but quieted back down as she saw some people walk by.

"I just… I don't think I like him anymore." She replied honestly, shrugging.

"What happened to Marinette? What have you done with her, you alien?" Alya over reacted, and it made her laugh.

"Nothing I just realized… he's basically a stranger to me, Alya. I don't know anything about him, other than stuff that anyone could know. Things like his schedule and his most famous photoshoots, or that his dad is a famous fashion designer. I don't know anything about him as a person, not even his personality. What if he's actual someone I can't stand, behind all his niceties?"

"Uh. Are you sure you're alright in the head? He's obviously very nice." Alya said, not really comprehending what was going on. Hell, Marinette barely understood what was going on. She just knew her feelings, and that they had changed, or at least been clarified for her.

"I just… I talked to someone about how shallow my crush was. I don't know Adrien as a person, so how could I really have any emotions towards him? He's just a nice classmate. Honestly, that's all I know about him. We don't even really talk. I have no idea what is interests are, or what he thinks about, well, anything. I don't know him at all."

"Well, it sounds like you've sorted it out," Alya said, really lost for words about anything else.

Marinette giggled. "Not really. Just talking it out with you."

"It sounds really thought out though." Alya said as she finally started to move, walking towards the front of the school.

"Nope, just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo." Marinette laughed as she followed her friend. When they got to the stairs out front, Nino and Adrien were there, sitting and talking on the top step.

"What are you two up to?" Alya asked Nino, standing right behind him.

"Adrien here was trying to get me to go to some fancy restaurant because I forgot my lunch – or any money for lunch – but I'm refusing. Since we both are stubborn, we're both going to sit here hungry for the rest of the lunch break." Nino explained.

"Not my fault you won't accept free food." Adrien said, tapping his foot against the cement.

"Why don't we just go to the bakery? Nino, you know my parents would love to feed you and Adrien. They're very food hospitable." Marinette countered with a giggle.

"You're doing that alien thing again." Alya said, eyeing her friend.

"I guess I've been totally replaced!" Marinette said, acting like a zombie instead of an alien.

"You know that's just wrong." Nino shook his head.

Everyone laughed, and the boys got up, following the girls as they led the way to the bakery.


	11. Chapter 11

To Adrien, the apartment that Marinette lived in was more like home than his mansion would ever be. The walls had decorations and there was furniture, sure, but it was more… lived-in. Not everything was perfectly put up, and Marinette's mother herself had stopped working at the bakery to make them something to eat over break. It was fantastic, and Adrien felt like he was home, in a way. He thought that they were going to get shuffled up into the girl's room, but it didn't happen immediately. "My room is a mess," she explained, "let me go tidy it up right quick."

Not that Adrien minded the mess, but he let her go to save her some embarrassment. She seemed to get flustered easily, especially around him, though that wasn't happening today. He noticed that she just talked to him like a normal person, and it was very refreshing. Maybe the talk they had had as Chat Noir had gotten into her somehow? She returned downstairs then, ushering them and their plates to follow her back into her room.

It was tidy, still some things laying around, but he knew better than to comment on anything. But the one thing he noticed was that there were no more pictures of him on the walls. She had taken them all down. Maybe she had gotten over her crush on him? Part of Adrien was relieved at the thought, the other part a little worried. What if that meant she didn't like either of them, and he had just ruined his chances with the love of his life, his partner, his other half?

But he was being over dramatic, and right now he needed to focus on his friends and food. If he were to be coming over here to eat all the time he would definitely put on a few pounds, but he would just be going back to his prior weight, something healthy for him. That's how he justified eating his entire plate, anyway, rather than saving some on the dish for his father to praise him for. His father would never have to know that he ate everything, it was just this one time. He wasn't a failure for eating too much, right?

The look on Marinette's face said it all as she took his plate – she was happy that he had eaten all of it. He wasn't a failure. Even if he wasn't making his father happy, he was making someone he cared about more happy, someone who cared about him (even if she didn't really know it yet). So it was fine – he was fine – everything was fine.

He hadn't hurt himself in quite a while, but the thoughts were coming back. When he was entranced with Marinette at first they stayed away, left him alone to be happy with his loved one. But now they were invading, making him doubt every move he made. Did he laugh too loud and upset someone? Was eating that extra bite going to make his father hate him? Would mentioning the lack of pictures of him make Marinette harbor ill will towards him? He couldn't take it, not tasting the freedom that he had had before. He was going to be sick, he thought.

He excused himself, calling Nathalie and asking her to pick him up. He asked the trio to take notes for him, and between different glances – Alya, not so worried, looking like he was just skipping, Nino, a little worried, probably about his father, and Marinette, very worried, because what could be wrong? He had just eaten all of his food – they all nodded. He said his farewells and made his way to the car, where Nathalie was waiting for him. "You didn't have to come as well," he said, not looking at her.

She didn't respond, but then again she didn't have to. He was useless after all, pulling her away from her work like that. He needed to just listen and do what he was told, to just bow his head and get through the day without a word or complaint. He didn't need to do this, to cause discomfort or to need someone else. He was useless!

He couldn't do anything right. Nothing at all, no matter how hard he tried.

He'd probably be better off dead.

The thought scared him, coming out of nowhere. Not that he hadn't had thoughts like that before, but it had been a while. What made him feel so strongly? Perhaps it was the fact that he had drug an innocent bystander into his mess, revealing parts about her she didn't want anyone to know. Why couldn't he have just been ignorant, just not needed her number in the first place? If he hadn't texted her, everything would have been fine, he wouldn't know her secret and he would be in the same position as he was.

No, he probably would be better off, not knowing what ails him. Not knowing what was just around the corner, just out of his reach – happiness. Because he had tasted it for a moment, too short, oh so short, but there it was, and now he wanted it, craved it like the poor boy that he was. But he couldn't have it, no, because he didn't deserve it. How could he?

No one could love him, and that is what he truly wanted. Sure Marinette cared, but how far did her care go? She didn't love him. She couldn't love him. No one loved him. His father used him as a tool, Nathalie and the Gorilla just saw him as a spoiled brat they had to look after. Even Chloe just went after him because of his fame and his father. He was nothing on his own, never was and never would be.

That was why his mother left, he realized, not for the first time. It was because he was useless, so useless, so weak. She had never found out about his bad habits, and for that he was grateful, because she had it for that much longer. Because with that knowledge, she would have left sooner, would have decided that he wasn't worth it months earlier. She would have left him to what he deserves, this hurtful home, being all alone.

He hopped in the shower, abandoning his clothes and ignoring his kwami's calls. Last time he had Marinette help him, but he couldn't call on her again. He couldn't let her know how weak he was, for she would leave him, leave him sooner than he could even blink. She'd block his number and give her miraculous to someone else, to do anything to get away from him.

He drug the razor across his skin, watching as the blood pooled up in little bubbles along the nasty red line. The humidity from the shower mixed with the droplets, causing them to fall down his leg oh so easily. He was shaking, it wasn't enough to calm him down. Again and again he drug the silver beast, drawing droplet after droplet of his life force. Eventually he calmed down, sitting in the shower and leaning his back on the floor.

He curled up in a ball after that, dropping the razor and sobbing, sobbing so loudly he was sure that someone would hear him, but he didn't care, because he was useless and they all knew it, they all knew that he was nothing and that he would never be anything more than a tool in his father's arsenal.

Adrien stayed in the shower until his fingers got pruny, then he shut off the water and cleaned himself off. His expression was so blank that he could feel the nothingness on his face, and he liked it that way. He felt empty, felt numb. That was good enough, wasn't it? It was better than feeling down, better than feeling useless, better than feeling upset. It was better than crying his eyes out in the shower while no one cared.

He decided that he was going to sleep. Throwing on some boxers he slid into bed, curling up in a ball and letting the nothingness engulf him until all he saw was dreams of his partner throwing him in the Seine.

A/N : shortest chapter yet, but to the point I think. Sorry if you hate me for it, but depression is just like that.


	12. Chapter 12

Marinette was worried about Adrien, but she didn't really have anyone to talk to it about. Alya insisted that he was just playing hooky and that there wasn't actually anything wrong, while Nino insisted that he would be fine, and that he just needed a break from school for the rest of the day. Sometimes life just took its toll and school was a bit too much. But something seemed deeper than that. She couldn't put her finger on it, but he stayed on her mind for the rest of the day, for a much different reason than normal.

It was worry, not blind adoration.

While the three of them made it through the day without much trouble, Alya's and Nino's demeanors seemed much less anxious than Marinette felt. Something just didn't sit right, like she had a bad feeling. She wasn't sure if it was about Adrien or her masked partner, but she had just started worrying. She was invited to go somewhere with the two of them, but she declined, running home to sit on her bed and text her partner. Even if nothing was wrong with him, she could use the partner to talk to.

She greeted her parents and stole a few cookies (with a friendly shove from her father telling her not to do that too much or Mama will get mad) before running up to her room, where she was met with a sight she wasn't expecting.

Someone had taken the duvet off of her bed and curled up on her chaise. She thought for a second – should she call her parents in? But then she remembered that the only way someone would have gotten into her room through her parents would have been through the balcony, and the only person she knew that could get up there was the very partner she wanted to talk to anyway.

"Chat Noir?" She asked, slowly approaching the figure. They just gave a grunt and turned around, but she saw golden locks fall out from the top of the blanket, filling her with relief. "Don't scare me like that!" She laughed, ripping the blanket off of him.

She regretted it instantly. He looked so sad and broken, just laying there, now cold. His facial expression was shock and worry, mixed with something else that she couldn't name but was upsetting nonetheless. He hung his head and apologized so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

He rubbed his eyes and yawned while Marinette sat down near his feet, to which he drew into himself. "Chaton." She said, but Chat Noir just hid his face behind his knees. His eyes were still visible, but they were looking elsewhere, at nothing. They were spaced out, and they didn't look like they wanted to be focused on anything at all, like it was too difficult to bear.

"Chaton, talk to me."

"No." He responded, still not looking at her.

"Tell me why you're here." She stated, leaning closer towards him. He leaned away from her.

"Plagg told me to come." He answered blankly, without any of the emotion that was on his face before.

"Did something happen?"

"Please don't make me talk about it right now." He answered, very quietly and without much breath. He still wouldn't look at her, and she was starting to get worried.

"Just.. answer one question?" She asked, her worry seeping into her voice. He nodded. "Are you in immediate danger right now?"

He shook his head.

She sighed a sigh of relief, and he finally looked at her.

"What?" She asked, eyeing him strangely.

"Do you really care?" He asked, and though the words sounded rude, the question itself didn't. It sounded like it was something he had been thinking about a lot, that sounded desperate and needing.

"Of course I do, Chaton." She crossed the space between them and wrapped her arms around him. "You're my special partner, the one I trust the most, the one I've come to not be able to live without. I care about you very much." She tried to sound soothing, but she didn't know if it was working.

"In my head, you don't really care. It finally clicks with you how useless I am, so you end up giving your miraculous away just so you don't have to be with me anymore. You want nothing to do with me, you want to get as far away from me as possible. It's so scary…"

"Don't listen to your head when it's saying stuff like that, kitty cat." She flicked his nose. "It's lying to you. I wouldn't lie to you, I have no reason to. I care about you very much, and will be here for you, always. Trust me, not your depression talking." She petted the back of his head, hoping to calm him.

"I don't understand why you care about someone as useless as me."

"Because you're not useless, Chaton. You're very valuable, to me and to many others, I'm sure."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Not valuable as a person, at least. Maybe a tool."

"Well even if they only value you like that – which I highly doubt – I care about you. You're very valuable to me, and I don't want to picture what my life would be like without you in it. You're my partner, after all."

He hummed noncommittally, burying his head into Marinette's chest. "I care about you too, you know. More than you realize." He said, still not looking up at her. It was a bit muffled and Marinette wasn't completely sure that was word for word what he said, but she filled in the blanks herself.

"Good! It'd be kind of weird if I cared about you so much and you didn't even want to give me the time of day." She said with a bit of sass in her voice, trying to get him to laugh.

It worked. It was a small laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.

"Hey, Chat Noir." She said, hoping to get him to look at her. He didn't. "Look at me."

He turned his head up tentatively, but she admired the strength he had to still look at her.

"Take some pictures with me." She said, digging her cell phone out of her pocket.

"Huh?" Was all he could manage, absolute shock on his face. It was quickly replaced with happiness and excitement. "I'd love to, _purr_ incess!"

Marinette rolled her eyes at the nickname, but didn't say anything else, glad that he was out of whatever bad mood he was in before, even if it was temporary. It was good to see him smile.

They made different faces in the phone as she took pictures, way too many to probably be appropriate. By the end of it they were laughing so hard they couldn't breathe, with Chat Noir having it worse than Marinette.

"Your face! Your face!" He gasped for air between laughs, but still was out of breath.

" _My_ face? Yours is so much funnier!" She yelled, tackle hugging him, successfully knocking him over on the chaise.

They laughed for a few more minutes longer, and when they were finally able to stop what was before uncontrollable, Chat Noir turned to her with a sheepish face. "Why the pictures all of a sudden?"

Marinette thought for a minute. Should she tell him? She decided that she should, because it was only fair after all. He had indulged her, so she could do the same for him at least.

"Well, you know I used to have the pictures up of Adrien. I took them down." She said, looking to watch his face.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Because I don't really have a crush on him anymore. I appreciate his work as a model, but now that I'm not fawning all over him, it just… feels wrong to have him all over my room. Like I'm invading some sort of privacy that he has. Plus he's come over before, and it was super embarrassing."

"You don't like him anymore?"

"Well, today at school I just realized that I didn't know him. I didn't know anything about him other than pleasantries, and it just felt wrong. I didn't really have a crush on him. It was just a celebrity crush, one where you don't know anything about the person yet expect them to madly fall in love with you because you know all the objective things about them, but not anything personal or subjective. I know nothing about him. How could I really like him?"

"So what are you going to do? Get to know him better?"

"Well, yeah. That's my main goal, but I don't think I'm going to go after him romantically. Just as a friend, someone he can talk to. If I like what I see behind his 'I'm nice to everyone' smile, then it might go farther. But for now, no."

"Does that mean I have a chance, My ladybug?" He said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"As if, kitty cat!" She crossed her arms. "You are, however, getting put up on my wall."

"Huh?"

She got off the chaise and went over to her computer, plugging in her phone. After a few moments of clicking her printer starting shooting out photos, and she pinned them up on her wall. It was all the pictures that she and Cat Noir had just taken moments ago.

The smile that was on Chat Noir's face was enough to warm Marinette for a month, and it was finally enough to make her realize that since knowing the cat deeper than before, she had started to grow feelings for him.

"That makes me really happy, Marinette." He said, pointing his smile at her.

She kissed his forehead, to which he looked mystified. "I'm glad you're happy. It's good to see you smile."

That made him smile more, which made her smile as well. Smiles were contagious, apparently.

They stayed like that for a while, just smiling at each other, before her mother burst into her room without knocking.

"M-mom!" Marinette said, turning bright red.

"I heard another voice up in here, so I went ahead and made an extra plate for you two for dinner. I didn't know it was a super hero, though! I hope Marinette is treating you well, Chat Noir." Her mom said with a bright smile on her face. She put a tray with two plates of food and two glasses of water on the chaise where they were sitting, then went to leave. "Have fun, you two!" She waved as she shut the door.

"Uggghhh how embarrassing!" Marinette said, sure that her face was redder that her suit. "I didn't know she knew you were up here!"

"I mean, we were pretty loud with the pictures." Chat Noir said, taking a plate. "Uh. It's okay if I eat this, right?" He said a little sheepishly.

"Of course, Chaton. That's why she brought up two plates."

"Okay." He dug in, complimenting her mom with every bite ("It's just so good!").

Marinette agreed, but she didn't voice her opinion. She was used to her mom's good cooking. They ate without much conversation, and when they finished their meals Marinette checked the time on her phone.

"Woah!" She exclaimed. "It's like nine o'clock already!"

"Really?" He said, looking over her shoulder to see the phone screen.

"I was going to watch TV and sleep all afternoon. There went my plans."

"I think you spent them better than you planned."

"Can't argue with that."

"Are you going to kick me out?" He didn't miss a beat, and it threw Marinette off.

"What? Of course not Chaton. You can stay as long as you like."

"Okay… if you say so. Let me go tie up a few loose ends at home; I left without really telling anyone. I'll be back, though, if that's okay?"

"I just said it was, Chat Noir."

"Okay. I'll see you soon then."

He climbed out the skylight, and disappeared into the Paris skyline. And for some reason, the room just felt empty and cold without him there.


	13. Chapter 13

Adrien could jump with joy. In fact, he literally was doing that, as he and his baton made his way back to his house. He quickly found his way through the window and detransformed right in time for Nathalie to peek her head in the door. "You've been quiet in here, Adrien." She stated, no emotion on her face.

"Yeah, what about it?" He asked, not exactly irritated, but not polite either. He didn't want to have to fake emotions or feelings right now, not with the night he had been having with Marinette. It was lovely and exactly what he had needed.

"You had better not been sleeping through everything. You have a long day starting at eleven tomorrow. Get some rest." She turned on her heel and slammed the door.

Normally it would have made him feel horrible and worthless, but tonight he just shrugged it off and made sure that the pillows under the cover looked like a person and not simply a lump of fluff. He stayed long enough for Plagg to eat some cheese – "You had better thank me for this later, kitten" – then transformed and headed back to his princess's house.

He heard Marinette's voice before he saw her, and he hid in the darkness on a rooftop, eavesdropping. He knew it was a bad habit, and that he shouldn't, but he already established that he was a bad person. So he didn't mind enforcing it a little more, just to find out what his beloved was chatting about.

" – I don't know, Alya. It feels wrong. I mean, no, why? But it's just so soon, and – no! Definitely not. Yeah, he's coming back. I don't know when. Ugh, I'll try. Yeah, bye." He only heard her half of the conversation, meaning that she was probably on the phone with someone, and then she hung up, sighing at the end. "Ugh, Tikki, what do I do..?"

Before the little red kwami could respond, however, Chat Noir made himself known. "What happened _purr_ incess? Trying to figure out what dessert to have? Because if so, you should let me have an input on that."

"C-C-Chat!" She stuttered and turned bright red. "What all did you hear?"

Despite his earlier sneakiness, he decided to be honest. Besides, he doubted that he could decipher what the one half of the conversation meant on his own, anyway. "Not much. Something about it being soon, and a bunch of negatives. Then something about me coming back." He latched onto the girl before she had a moment to respond. "I'm back, by the way."

She giggled. Apparently that was enough to appease her that her conversation wasn't completely revealed. "Welcome back, Chaton." She said quietly, sweetly. He couldn't get over how she made him feel, especially now that she was letting him in more and more. It made his heart melt.

They stayed that way in silence for a moment, holding onto each other. Then Marinette shivered and Chat Noir backed away and scratched the back of his head. "It's getting late and cold, you need to go inside." He said, looking away from her. Would she invite him back in? Despite her earlier words, he still wasn't sure.

"We need to go inside, you mean." She corrected, flicking his bell. He smiled once again, bigger than before, if that was somehow possible.

"Aww, does the bug like shiny things?" He purred, trying to tease her.

"Only when they're on you, Chaton." She giggled. Was she… flirting with him? He blinked a few times, but decided not to dwell on it too much.

"It really is chilly out here." He said, rubbing his arms. She gave him a look that he couldn't decipher, then opened the skylight for them to crawl through. She stepped onto her bed then got under the covers.

"This is the fastest way to warm up." She said, burying herself in her comforter. Chat sat down at the end of her bed, but didn't make any moves to follow her. It was one thing, them cuddling on the chaise while attempting to do homework, but it was another all together to hop into bed with her. He wasn't even sure if it was an open invitation, and he really didn't want to overstep his boundaries. Not that he didn't want to, mind you – for he did, he really wanted to join her – but he didn't want to make her mad at him. Not after everything else that had happened.

"Do you not like covers?" She said, poking her head out of the comforter ever so slightly. "I would have thought cats loved warmth."

"I wasn't sure what you wanted me to do." He replied, deciding that honesty was the best policy.

"I wanted you to get under the covers and cuddle with me." Marinette said, turning beat red. "Unless you don't want to of course, because that would be totally fine and I can get you another cover and we can go back to the floor or the chaise or wherever you want, you know, because that's totally fine, and –"

Her rambling was cut short by Chat Noir starting to move closer to her, untangling her from the blanket only enough for him to crawl under it as well. He didn't say anything as he curled up with his head on her shoulder, the blanket nice and heavy on the rest of his body. It wasn't the most comfortable in the magical leather suit, but it was fine, fine because there was no other situation he would rather be in at the moment. This was perfect, and he couldn't help but purr very loudly.

"If you purr too loud my mom will hear and I'd rather her not." Marinette said, but her actions defied her words as she started petting his hair.

"I'll be quiet when I stop being comfortable and happy." Chat said simply, snuggling closer to her.

"Well then maybe it's better if you stay purring." She giggled, and shifted slightly, probably to get comfortable herself.

And Chat Noir was happy, and he continued purring, even as his thoughts drifted. Because they weren't bad things this time, finally. They were happy things, things like how much his ladybug cared for him, and how warm Marinette was. How he felt loved and protected and safe, something that he never really felt in his own home. And how for the first time in a long time, he felt like he could be himself and be loved for it. Because that's what Marinette did, right? She loved him? Even if it wasn't romantic, she had pretty much admitted prior that they were soulmates, in a way. And that she cared about him more than anyone else in the entire world.

It was these thoughts that filled his brain and the soft strokes of her hand in his hair that he fell asleep to.

Before he opened his eyes, he thought that he had the most peaceful sleep, probably ever. It was nice and warm when he woke up, and he didn't even really feel like moving at all. But then the world started to piece together again, and one by one things started clicking in his mind.

He wasn't at home, he was at Marinette's.

He wasn't alone in this bed, there was another warm person softly breathing beside him.

He was pretty sure that his transformation had worn off, and that he was just Adrien.

Oh boy, he hoped that the last one happened sometime after they were both asleep, and not beforehand, or else Marinette would be upset. She didn't really want to know his identity, and he was trying to respect that. How would he have known that he would fall asleep before making it back home? He didn't, not at all. He had also never fallen asleep in transformation before, so the fact that Plagg didn't cover him all night didn't escape his notice, either.

The breathing beside him was soft and quiet, so he was pretty sure that the girl was still asleep. He needed to know what time it was. What time did Nathalie say things started again? He reached in his pocket, thankful that he grabbed his phone and that it was there, and checked the time.

8:51am. He still had enough time to get home and get ready. At least he hoped.

But first he had to get his method of transportation, which happened to be eluding him at the moment. He was going to kill the little black kwami, he was sure of it.

"Plagg?" He whispered, trying not to wake Marinette, but utterly failing. How light of a sleeper was this girl?

"Hnnn no, it's Marinette…" She said sleepily, not fully awake.

"Marinette, listen to me." He said, covering her eyes with his hand, even though they weren't open yet.

"Hey, what's going on?" She responded, waking up quickly.

"Plagg detransformed me while I was asleep." Adrien responded, not sure how to handle the situation. Ask her to crawl under the covers until he was safely Chat Noir again? That seemed childish, but it was probably what she would do anyway.

"Oh." She hid under the covers. "Your identity is safe with me, Chat Noir!" She said, her voice muffled by the weight of the blanket.

"Don't you mean safe _from_ you?" He giggled, then climbed out of her bed and started rummaging through her things, mostly little boxes and drawers that he thought the kwami might hide in. "I'm sorry, I just don't know where the little bastard went, and I don't have any camembert to draw him out with."

"It's fine. There's nothing really I need to hide save for my diary, but I don't expect you to go through that trying to find your kwami."

"You trust me too much, _purr_ incess." It felt nice to physically be himself outside of the mask, but he didn't relish in the thought, instead he continued to look for his little friend.

"I don't think so."

He shrugged, not knowing what else to say that wouldn't be extremely sappy and not appropriate for the moment. He finally found his kwami curled up with hers in her purse that was sitting on the desk. "Sorry to wake you up, bud." He touched his kwami's forehead, then when Plagg had woken up enough to be alert but not enough to complain, he transformed back into Chat Noir.

"And the mask is back on, my princess." He found his way to the ladder and started climbing up it again, then laid beside her as she came out from under the comforter.

"You're a silly kitty, you know that?" She said, sleep still evident in her eyes.

"I think you're just half asleep still."

"Mmm more honest when I'm sleepy."

"Then what do you think about me, huh?"

"Nice try, Chaton." She flicked his bell.

"What? The question was innocent enough."

She just shook her head in her pillow.

"Fine, fine, be that way. I gotta go though." He put his hand on her forehead.

"So soon?" She whined, sounding genuinely upset at the thought of him leaving.

"I'll be back soon, I promise." He leaned down and put his lips on her cheek, then backed away.

"You better, kitty cat." She turned over then, and it was quiet.

Chat took it as a dismissal and found his way onto the balcony.

"Be safe." He almost didn't hear it, even with his super hearing, because it was said so quietly. But he caught it, and he was pretty sure that nothing could bring this day down, even a day of modeling and putting up with Nathalie and his father.


End file.
